z 


Sep 


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Latin 


Edited 
With  Introduction  and  NoTfes-i:^fi'CAL 


By 


,  x- 


MATTHEW    GERMING      S.J. 


St.  Stanislaus  Seminary 


Florissant,  Mo. 


L 


LOYOLA   UNIVERSITY   PRESS 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 

1920 


J 


Latin  Hymns 


Edited 


0Xi  OF  Pfi/;vc^ 

JUL  19  1932 


With  Introduction  and  Note^sJ^^qqiq^^^i^V' ■   " 


By 


MATTHEW    GERMING      S.J 


St.  Stanislaus  Seminary 


Florissant,  Mo. 


LOYOLA   UNIVERSITY   PRESS 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 

1920 


COPYRIGHT.  1920 

BY 

LOYOLA  UNIVERSITY 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


INTRODUCTION 


This  little  collection  of  hymns  is  intended  to  give  the 
student  some  idea  of  the  character, — the  form  and  content 
of  sacred  Latin  poetry.  Most  of  these  hymns  are  used  in 
one  or  other  of  the  services  of  the  Church,  and  it  is  surely 
desirable  that  Catholic  students  should  have  some  acquaintance 
with  them.  A  few  non-liturgical  compositions  have  been 
added,  nearly  all  selected  from  that  vast  treasury  of  sacred 
poetry  written  during  the  period  beginning  with  St.  Ambrose 
and  closing  with  the  rise  of  Humanism.  For  a  short  his- 
torical account  of  this  period  see  Catholic  Encyclopedia,  art. 
"Hymnody."  The  activity  of  the  Middle  Ages  in  this  de- 
partment of  literature  is  something  quite  amazing.  Hymnol- 
ogists  have  for  years  been  unearthing  the  product  of  the 
labor  of  that  period.  To  say  nothing  of  the  ample  collections 
of  hymns  made  by  Daniels  and  Mone  in  the  last  century, 
there  is  now  the  Analecta  Hymnica  by  the  German  Jesuits, 
a  truly  monumental  work  of  more  than  fifty  volumes,  and 
not  yet  completed.  It  might,  of  course,  be  expected  that  not 
all  the  hymns  in  these  immense  collections  have  the  same 
literary  merit,  but  there  is  so  much  that  is  good,  and  so 
much  that  is  excellent, — instinct  with  fine  poetic  feeling  and 
clothed  in  diction  always  simple  and  sincere,  often  graceful 
and  even  brilliant,  that  criticism  is  almost  silenced  and  selec- 
tion becomes  a  difficult  task.  Not  all  the  great  writers  of 
hymns  are  represented  in  the  following  collection;  but  the 
poems  selected  are,  it  is  thought,  representative  of  what  is 
best  in  Latin  hymnody. 

There  is  one  great  advantage  that  the  hymns  have  over 
the  other  Latin  literature  of  the  school  room:   they  are  Chris- 

a 


4  LATIN    HYMNS 

tian,  and  "Christian  is  a  better  word  than  Augustan.  For 
inspiring  and  elevating  thought,  and  for  vigor,  harmony,  and 
simpHcity  of  language  the  hymns  are  better  than  any  Augustan 
Odes." — March,  Latin  Hymns,  Preface. 

The  language,  it  is  true,  of  Christian  prose  and  verse  is 
not  that  of  the  Augustan  age  of  Roman  literature.  It  could 
not  be.  The  thoughts  and  feelings  of  the  Confessions  of  St. 
Augustine,  or  of  the  Dies  Irae  and  the  Lauda  Sion,  could  no 
more  be  expressed  in  the  language  of  Cicero  or  in  the  diction 
and  meters  of  Horace  than  the  ocean  can  be  confined  within 
the  banks  of  the  Tiber.  The  Latin  of  the  classic  writers 
possesses  a  certain  fulness  and  majesty  and  decorum,  a  stately 
self-control  that  is  admirable  in  its  way,  but  it  lacks  something 
which  paganism  could  not  give:  it  lacks  flexibility  and  the 
power  to  adapt  itself  to  the  infinite  reaches  of  Christian 
thought  and  to  the  profoundly  spiritual  emotions  of  the  re- 
generated human  heart.  This  is  the  reason  why,  with  all  its 
perfection  of  form,  classical  Latin  is  comparatively  formal 
and  cold,  without  the  softening  and  deepening  influence  that 
comes  from  the  intimate  communion  of  the  soul  with  God 
and  heavenly  things.  Cicero,  indeed,  in  the  finest  passages  of 
the  Somnium  Scipionis  and  the  De  Senectute  reaches  out 
after  this  higher  spiritual  quality  of  style ;  Virgil  has  more 
of  it  than  any  other  Latin  writer ;  but  it  was  reserved  for 
St.  Jerome  and  St.  Augustine  and  other  great  Christian  writers 
to  make  the  ancient  tongue  vibrate  on  the  ear  with  a  new 
rhythm  and  cadence, — a  rhythm,  sweet  and  strange  and  as 
far-reaching  as  the  new-born  sense  of  the  boundless  power 
and  love  of  God.  This  is  the  Latin  of  the  liturgy  and  of  the 
great  medieval  writers.  It  is  Latin,  not  in  its  last  stage  of 
decay,  as  Macaulay  would  have  it,  but  the  ancient  language 
transformed  and  spiritualized,  representing  ''the  dawning  of  a 
fresh  order  of  expereinces,  the  regenerate  type  of  humanity. 
In  the  happy  phrase  of  Mr.  David  Lewis,  it  is  'baptized'  Latin, 


LATIN   HYMNS  i» 

the  new  dialect  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity,"  the  Holy  Latin 
Tongue. — Dublin  Review,  April,  1906. 

The  meters  of  the  hymns  are  not  those  of  the  Odes  of 
Horace.  The  quantitative  verse  schemes  of  Latin  poetry, 
borrowed  as  they  were  from  Greece,  never  became  perfectly 
naturalized  in  Italy  except  among  the  educated.  We  do  not 
find  that  even  one  of  the  many  lyrics  based  on  quantity  ever 
found  its  way  among  the  people  as  a  popular  song.  Popular 
tradition  probably  maintained  the  older  system  of  versification 
that  was  native  to  the  soil.  The  precise  character  of  these 
early  verse  forms,  usually  called  Saturnian,  is  a  matter  of 
dispute  among  scholars ;  but  there  are  reasons  for  thinking 
that  the  basic  principle  was  accent  rather  than  quantity,  as 
is  the  case  with  English  versification.  Had  this  early  system 
of  versifying  been  allowed  to  develop  and  grow  to  maturity, 
Latin  literature  might  not  have  become,  both  in  content  and 
form,  the  engrafted  thing  that  history  has  handed  down  to  us. 
But  it  was  banished  from  literary  circles  by  the  introduction 
of  the  literature  of  Greece.  Plautus  and  Terence  Latinized 
Greek  comedies  with  their  meters;  Ennius  (239-169)  was 
the  first  to  write  Latin  hexameters ;  and  Catullus  and  Horace, 
in  the  first  century  before  Christ,  transplanted  the  lyrical 
measures.  Thus  the  vanquished  imposed  their  literary  forms 
on  the  victors.  As  Horace  puts  it  (Ep.  II,  1,  156),  Graecia 
capta  ferum  victorem  cepit.  Accordingly,  the  literature  that 
was  just  budding,  a  literature  indigenous  and  popular,  voicing 
the  nation's  own  life,  was  neglected  in  its  formative  stage 
by  the  very  men  who  could  have  developed  it  and  given  it 
distinction  of  form.  The  tradition,  however,  of  the  native 
rhythms  seems  to  have  lived  on  in  popular  verse  throughout 
the  classical  period.  And  thus,  when  Christian  writers  began 
to  feel  the  need  of  a  poetic  medium  of  expression  more 
popular  and  more  elastic  than  the  existing  meters,  they  turned 
to  the  accentual  principle,  naturally  popular;  and  the  manner 
which  they  adopted  may  justly  be  called  a  return  to  the  old 


D  LATIN  HYMNS 

rather  than  the  introduction  of  anything  new.  As  the  hymns 
were  meant  for  the  people,  and,  from  the  first,  were  written 
to  be  sung  by  all  the  faithful  assembled  in  church,  it  must 
have  been  clear  to  those  who  composed  them  that  they  ought 
to  be  guided  by  a  principle  of  harmony  that  would  appeal  to 
the  popular  ear,  that  should  be  at  once  simple  and  intelligible 
to  every  one,  whether  trained  in  classical  meters  or  not.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  principle  of  quantity  could  not  hold 
its  place  for  any  length  of  time.  Writers  turned  to  accent, 
though  the  change  came  very  gradually. 

Nor  must  it  be  forgotten  that  Christian  poetry  with  its 
new  message,  with  its  depth  and  range  of  thought,  its  new 
faith  and  hope  in  Christ,  could  scarcely  find  adequate  expres- 
sion in  the  existing  verse  forms.  These  latter  were  well  suited 
to  body  forth  the  thoughts  and  sentiments  and  ideals  of  the 
pagan  mind  and  of  a  pagan  civilization.  Beauty  of  form  and 
outline,  definite,  well-proportioned,  leading  to  nothing  beyond 
itself, — the  beauty  of  the  Grecian  temple — that  was  the  height 
of  perfection  in  classical  poetry.  The  Christian  poet,  on  the 
other  hand,  lived  in  an  entirely  different  world.  His  thoughts 
had  been  enlarged,  his  ideals  raised  to  an  infinitely  higher 
level,  his  fancy  played  round  the  throne  of  the  Most  High. 
No  wonder  that  he  felt  himself  hampered  in  his  effort  to 
cast  his  new  thoughts  in  the  ready-made  moulds  of  ancient 
ideas.  The  new  wine  was  put  into  old  bottles,  and  the  bottles 
burst.  It  is  significant  that  as  early  as  250  A.  D.,  Commodianus 
wrote  a  lengthy  poem  in  which  the  accepted  quantity  of 
classic  days  is  almost  entirely  abandoned.  And  his  verses  give 
evidence  that  it  was  not  through  ignorance  that  he  wrote  thus ; 
the  accentual  method  was  adopted  on  purpose.  No  doubt  he 
felt  that  the  system  of  versification  in  vogue  had  become 
''intolerably  artificial,"  either  as  not  appealing  to  the  mass  of 
the  people  to  whom  he  addressed  himself,  or  as  inadequate 
to  express  the  message  he  conveys  with  such  earnestness  and 
fervor.    However,  several  centuries  more  were  to  pass  before 


LATIN    HYMNS  / 

the  new  principle  of  rhythmical  poetry  could  gather  strength. 
St.  Ambrose  wrote  according  to  quantity.  It  will  be  observed, 
however,  that  in  the  meter  which  he  adopted,  the  iambic 
dimeter,  a  clever  management  of  words  will  result  in  little 
conflict  between  word  accent  and  the  quantitative  ictus,  as 
may  be  seen  from  the  Aeterne  Rerum.  The  effect  in  reading 
is  about  the  same  as  in  accentual  verse.  From  the  sixth  and 
seventh  centuries  onward,  quantity  was  more  and  more  set 
aside,  and  was  wholly  neglected  from  the  tenth  to  the  four- 
teenth century,  the  golden  age  of  Latin  hymnody. 

Most  of  the  hymns  are  written  in  iambic  and  trochaic 
meters.  These  meters,  with  the  added  elements  of  rhyme  and 
assonance,  became  the  medium  for  the  evolution  of  a  variety 
of  verse  forms,  which,  through  various  changes  and  modifica- 
tions, reach  the  height  of  perfection  in  the  twelfth  century, 
when  Adam  of  St.  Victor  could  sing  in  unrivaled  strain: 

Heri  mundus  exsultavit, 
Et  exsultans  celebravit 

Christi  natalitia: 
Heri  chorus  angelorum 
Prosecutus  est  caelorum 

Regem  cum  laetitia. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


Of  the  collections  of  hymns  and  sources  of  criticism  that  have 
been  consulted  the  following  are  the  principal  ones : 

Blume  and  Dreves,  Analecta  Hymnica  Medii  Aevi;  Leipzig:  Reis- 
land. 

Caswall,  Lyra  Catholica;  New  York:  Catholic  Publication  Society 
Co.     (Hymns  of  the  breviary  and  the  Missal  translated  into  English.) 

Catholic  Encyclopedia. 

Donohue,  Early  Christian  Hymns,  2  vols. :  The  Donohue  Publish- 
ing Co.,  Middletown,  Conn.  (Original  translations,  including  all  the 
hymns  of  the  breviary  and  many  others.) 

Henry,  Dr.  H.  T.,  American  Ecclesiastical  Review  (a  series  of 
appreciative  and  scholarly  articles),  referred  to  in  this  book  by  the 
initials  A.  E.  R. 

Julian,  Dictionary  of  Hymnology,  second  edition  1908;  London: 
Murray. 

March,  Latin  Hymns;  New  York:  American  Book  Co. 

Merrill,  Latin  Hymns;  Boston :  Sanborn. 

Mone,  Lateinische  Hymnen  des  Mittelalters;  Freiburg:  Herder. 

Neale,  Medieval  Hymns  and  Sequences;  London :  Joseph  Masters. 

Neale,  The  Rhythm  of  Bernard  of  Morlaix  on  the  Celestial  Coun- 
try; London  :    J.  T.  Hayes. 

Schaff,  Christ  in  Song;  New  York:  Randolph  and  Co. 

Shipley,  Annus  Sanctus;  London  and  New  York:  Burns  and 
Oates.     (Translations  by  authors  of  known  merit.) 

Trench,  Sacred  Latin  Poetry;  New  York:  Macmillan. 

Wrangham,  The  Liturgical  Poetry  of  Adam  of  St.  Victor  with 
Translations  into  English  in  the  Original  Meters;  London :  Kegan 
Paul,  Trench  and  Co. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


AETERNE  RERUM  CONDITOR 

(St.  Ambrose) 

St.  Ambrose  (340  [?]-397)  is  rightly  considered  the  father  o£ 
Latin  Hymnody.  Descended  from  a  noble  Roman  family,  Ambrose 
on  finishing  his  education  devoted  himself  to  the  study  and  practice 
of  the  law,  and  was  governor  of  Liguria  when,  in  374,  he  was  elected 
bishop  of  Milan.  Of  his  pithy  and  profound  hymns  fourteen  genuine 
ones  have  come  down  to  us.  Those  used  at  Prime,  Terce,  Sext,  and 
None,  in  the  Roman  Breviary,  have  often  been  attributed  to  him,  but 
are  of  very  doubtful  authenticity.  His  hymns  are  characterized  by 
great  simplicity.  Says  Trench:  "The  great  objects  of  faith  in  their 
simplest  expressions  are  felt  by  him  so  sufficient  to  stir  all  the  deepest 

affections  of  the  heart,  that  any  attempt  to  dress  them  up 

were  merely  superfluous.  The  passion  is  there,  but  it  is  latent  and 
represt,  a  fire  burning  inwardly,  the  glow  of  an  austere  enthusiasm, 
which  reveals  itself  indeed,  but  not  to  every  careless  beholder." — Sacred 
Latin  Poetry,  p.  87. 

For  a  commentary  and  translation  of  the  present  hymn  see  Amer- 
ican Ecclesiastical  Review  XV,  349. 

Theme :  The  crowing  of  the  cock  is  represented  as  both  the  signal 
and  the  symbol  of  a  renewal  of  life  in  the  physical  and  the  spiritual 
world. 

Meter  :     Iambic  dimeter,*  quantitative. 

Aeterne  rerum  Conditor,  5  Nocturna  lux  viantibus 
Noctem  diemque  qui  regis,  A  nocte  noctem  segregans, 

Et  temporum  das  tempora,  Praeco  diei  jam  sonat, 

Ut  alleves  fastidium.  Jubarque  solis  evocat. 

Notes — 1.     The  line  is  an  ad-  3.    'Dost  appoint  the  seasons  of 

mirable  instance  of  the  stateliness  the    years.'     Temporum,    longer 

and  reserve  that  characterize  the  periods  of  time,  tem.pora,  shorter 

verse      of      the      "consul-bishop."  intervals,  seasons. 

"Dread  Framer  of  the  earth  and  5.      After   these    four   lines    of 

sky." — Caswall.      "O     Everlasting  address  in  praise  of   the  Creator 

Architect!" — Dr.    Henry.  the    poet    enters    on    his    theme. 

*  It  should  be  remembered  that  in  Iambic,  trochaic,  and  anapaestic 
verse  the  unit  of  measure  is  the  dipody  (two  feet)  ;  so  that  in  these 
rhythms  a  monometer  contains  two  feet,  a  dimeter  four  feet,  a  tri- 
meter six  feet,  a  tetrameter  eight  feet. 


10 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Hoc  excitatus  lucifer 
10  Solvit  polum  caligine ; 

Hoc  omnis  erronum  cohors 
Viam  nocendi  deserit ; 

Hoc  nauta  vires  colligit, 
Politique  mitescunt  f  reta ; 
15  Hoc,  ipsa  petra  Ecclesiae, 
Canente,  culpam  diluit. 

Surgamus  ergo  strenue : 
Gallus  jacentes  excitat, 
Et  somnolentos  increpat, 
20  Gallus  negantes  arguit. 


Gallo  canente  spes  redit, 
Aegris  salus  refunditur, 
Mucro  latronis  conditur, 
Lapsis  fides  revertitur, 

25  Jesu  labantes  respice, 
Et  nos  videndo  corrige : 
Si  respicis,  labes  cadunt, 
Fletuque  culpa  solvitur. 

Tu,  lux,  refulge  sensibus, 
30  Mentisque  somnum  discute : 
Te  nostra  vox  primum  sonet 
Et  vota  solvamus  tibi. 


Nocturna  lux:  in  apposition  to 
praeco  diei,  v.  7.  As  the  sun  in- 
dicates the  passing  hours  of  the 
day,  so  the  crowing  of  the  cock 
marks  off  the  hours  of  the  night 
for  the  benefit  of  travellers 
(viantcs). 

6.  Nocte  noctem:  not  the 
whole  night,  but  parts  or  watches 
of  the  night.  'Dividing  the 
watches  of   the  night.' 

7.  praeco,  the  chanticleer,  the 
herald  of  the  day. 

9.  hoc:  supply  canente  from 
line  16,  so  in  lines  11  and  13;  or 
it  may  be  taken  as  instr.  Abl. 

11.  erronum  cohors,  'the  rov- 
ing bands  of  thieves  and  bandits'. 
In  a  spiritual  sense  it  refers  to  the 
vagantes  daemones. 

13,  14.  'At  his  chanting  the 
sailor  gathers  new  strength,  and 
the  stormy  sea  is  calmed'. 

15.  petra,  "the  Rock",  i.  e.  St. 
Peter;  cf.  Matth.  XVI,  18;  and 
XXVI,  75. 


17,  etc.  No  doubt,  both  the 
literal  and  the  spiritual  meaning 
is  intended.  The  cock  was  taken 
as  a  symbol  of  the  preacher  of  the 
Gospel.  It  was  a  heathen  notion 
that  the  lion  could  not  stand  the 
sight  of  a  cock:  gallum  noenu 
(=non)  queunt  rabidi  contra  con- 
stare  leones  inque  iueri.  Lucre- 
tius IV,  710  seq.  And  St.  Am- 
brose :  lea  gallum  et  maxime  al- 
bum veretur.  Cuvier  tried  the  ex- 
periment by  putting  a  cock  into  a 
lion's  cage  with  the  result  that  the 
lion  ate  up  the  cock.  With  Chris- 
tians Satan  is  the  roaring  lion, 
who  is  vanquished  by  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word  of  God.  The  mys- 
tical meaning  of  the  chanticleer's 
crowing  is  thus  easily  accounted 
for.  A  supposed  fact  in  the  nat- 
ural order  was  made  to  symbolize 
a  real  fact  in  the  spiritual  order. 

21-25.  Hope  and  renewed  life 
return  with  the  dawn  of  day,  fear 
of  the  armed  bandit  is  laid  aside, 


i 


LATIN    HYMNS 


11 


Deo  Patri  sit  gloria, 
Ej usque  soli  Filio, 
35  Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito, 
Nunc  et  per  omne  saeculum. 


and  faith  revives  in  the  breasts  of 
the  fallen. 

25-29.  A  delicate  and  beautiful 
allusion  to  St.  Peter's  repentance 
and  the  way  it  was  brought  about. 


"And  the  Lord  turning  looked  on 
Peter,"  etc.     Luke  XXII,  61. 

30.  Mentis  somnum:  languor 
of  soul  in  well-doing. 

31.  'May  Thy  Name  be  the  first 
on  our  lips'. 


12 


LATIN    HYMNS 


SPLENDOR  PATERNAE  GLORIAE 

(St.  Ambrose) 

The  theme  of  the  poem  is  Christ,  the  Light  of  the  world. 
Meter :     Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 


Splendor  paternae  gloriae, 
De  luce  lucem  proferens, 
Lux  lucis,  et  f  ons  luminis 
Diem  dies  illuminans ! 

5  Verusque  sol  illabere, 
Micans  nitore  perpeti, 
Jubarque  Sancti  Spiritus 
Infunde  nostris  sensibus. 


Confirmet  actus  strenuos, 
Dentes  retundat  invidi, 
15  Casus  secundet  asperos, 
Agenda  recte  dirigat. 

Mentem  gubernet  et  regat, 
Sit  pura  nobis  castitas ; 
Fides  calore  ferveat, 
20  Fraudis  venena  nesciat. 


Votis  vocemus  et  Patrem, 
10  Patrem  potentis  gratiae, 
Patrem  perennis  gloriae, 
Culpam  releget  lubricam. 


Christusque  nobis  sit  cibus, 
Potusque  noster  sit  fides : 
Laeti  bibamus  sobriam 
Profusionem  Spiritus. 


Notes — 1.  "Who  being  the 
brightness  of  his  glory."  Hebr. 
I,  3. 

3.  Cf.  Nicene  Creed,  lumen  de 
lumine.  Christ  is  lux  lucis,  'light 
of  (born  of)  light',  in  as  much 
as  He  is  the  Son  of  the  Father; 
and  He  is  fons  luminis,  because 
He  Himself  is  God. 

5.  illabere:  Imperat.  from 
illabor. 

6.  perpeti:  per  pes,  -etis=^per- 
petuus. 

7.  jubar:  object  of  infunde, 
'light', 


12.  culpam  lubricam,  'sin  of 
the  flesh' ;  here  called  lubrica,  'slip- 
pery', because  men  easily  fall  into 
it.  releget:  'that  he  may  banish 
far  from  us;'  ut  is  omitted  after 
vocemus,  v.  9,  as  is  often  the 
case  after  verbs  of  asking  and  de- 
manding. 

14.  invidi:  Gen.  Sing.;  Satan 
is  meant. 

20.     venena:  PI.  for  the  Sing. 

23,  24.  "And  be  not  drunk  with 
wine  .  .  .  but  be  ye  filled  with 
the  Holy  Spirit."    Ephes.  V,  18. 

26,  27.    The  poet  prays  that  the 


1 


LATIN   HYMNS 


13 


25  Laetus  dies  hie  transeat, 
Pudor  sit  ut  dilueulum, 
Fides  velut  meridies, 
Crepusculum  mens  nesciat. 


Aurora  lucem  provehit, 
30  Cum  luce  nobis  prodeat 
In  Patre  totus  Filius, 
Et  totus  in  Verbo  Pater. 


blush  of  modesty  may  be  as  rosy 
as  the  dawn,  and  faith  as  bright 
as  the  noonday  sun. 
29.    The  language  is  partly  fig- 


urative :  aurora  is  the  dawn  and 
also  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
who  gives  us  the  Son,  the  Lighl 
of  the  world. 


14  LATIN    HYMNS 


TE  DEUM  LAUDAMUS 

For  a  brief  discussion  of  the  date  and  authorship  of  this  rhythmical 
prose  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Catholic  Encyclopedia,  article  "Te 
Deum."  Here  it  must  suffice  to  state  (1)  that,  in  the  words  of  Batiffol, 
"no  one  thinks  now  of  attributing  this  cento  either  to  St.  Ambrose  or 
to  St.  Augustine;"  (2)  that  many  scholars  ascribe  it  to  St.  Nicetas, 
Bishop  of  Remesiana  in  what  is  now  Servia,  who  was  born  about  335 
and  died  in  the  early  part  of  the  fifth  century;  (3)  that  others  regard 
the  hymn  as  composed  at  different  periods,  the  first  part  (verses  1 — 10) 
antedating  the  year  252.  "It  is  argued  that,  judged  by  melody  and 
rhythm,  the  first  ten  verses  form  a  complete  hymn  (verses  11 — 13  hav- 
ing been  added  subsequently  as  a  doxology  to  the  Father)  ;  while 
verses  14 — 21  form  a  hymn  (added  in  the  fourth  century)  to  Christ; 
and  that  verses  22  to  the  end  belong  to  a  wholly  different  category, 
being  mostly  taken  from  the  Psalms."    Dr.  Henry  in  Cath.  Encycl. 

"By  the  end  of  the  fifth  century,"  writes  Mearns  in  the  Dictionary 
of  Hymnology,  p.  1123,  "the  Te  Deum  had  gained  a  recognized  position 
almost  equal  to  that  of  the  ancient  Psalms.  .  .  .  We  may  date  the 
Te  Deum,  as  it  now  appears  in  our  prayerbooks,  about  400-450  A.  D. 
.  .  .  It  is  the  most  famous  non-biblical  hymn  of  the  Western 
Church." 

Te  Deum  laudamus,  te  Dominum  confitemur. 
Te  aeternum  Patrem  omnis  terra  veneratur. 
Tibi  omnes  angeli,  tibi  caeli  et  universi  potestates, 
Tibi  Cherubim  et  Seraphim  incessabili  voce  proclamant: 
5     Sanctus,  sanctus,  sanctus  Dominus  Deus  Sabaoth. 
Pleni  sunt  caeli  et  terra  majestatis  gloriae  tuae. 
Te  gloriosus  Apostolorum  chorus, 
Te  prophetarum  laudabilis  numerus, 
Te  martyrum  candidatus  laudat  exercitus. 

Notes— 5.    sanctus,  etc.:   "And  garments,  who  are  they?    .    .    . 

they  (the  Seraphim)  cried  one  to  And  he  said  to  me:     These  are 

another:      Holy,    holy,    holy,    the  they  who  are  come  out  of  great 

Lord  God  of  hosts,  all  the  earth  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 

is  full  of  His  glory."    Is.  VI,  3.  robes,  and  have  made  them  white 

Cf.  also  Apoc.  IV,  8.  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb."    Apoc. 

9.     martyrum    candidatus:  VII,  13,  14. 
"These  that  are  clothed  in  white 


LATIN    HYMNS  15 

10    Te  per  orbem  terrarum  sancta  confitetur  ecclesia, 
Patrem  immensae  majestatis, 
Venerandum  tuum  verum  et  unicum  Filium, 
Sanctum  quoque  Paraclitum  Spiritum. 

Tu  Rex  gloriae,  Christe, 
15     Tu  Patris  sempiternus  es  Filius. 

Tu  ad  liberandum  suscepturus  hominem,  non  horruisti 

Virginis  uterum. 
Tu,   devicto  mortis   aculeo,    aperuisti   credentibus   regna 

caelorum. 
Tu  ad  dexteram  Dei  sedes  in  gloria  Patris. 
Judex  crederis  esse  venturus. 
20    Te  ergo  quaesumus,  tuis  famulis  subveni,  quos  pretioso 
sanguine  redemisti. 
Aeterna  fac  cum  Sanctis  tuis  in  gloria  numerari. 

Salvum  fac  populum  tuum,  Domine,  et  benedic  hereditati 

tuae. 
Et  rege  eos,  et  extolle  illos  usque  in  aeternum. 
Per  singulos  dies  benedicimus  te, 
25     Et  laudamus  nomen  tuum  in  saeculum  et  in  saeculum 

saeculi. 
Dignare,  Domine,  die  isto  sine  peccato  nos  custodire. 
Miserere  nostri,  Domine,  miserere  nostri ; 
Fiat  misericordia  tua,  Domine,  super  nos,  quemadmodum 

speravimus  in  te. 
In  te,  Domine,  speravi:  non  confundar  in  aeternum. 

16.  hominem  =  humanam   na-         21.     fac:   supply  f amnios  tuos. 
turam,  22,  23.    salvum  fac  etc. :    Ver- 
batim taken  from  Ps.  XXVII,  9. 

17.  devicto  mortis  aculeo:  26.  die  isto:  'this  day.  The 
"O  death,  where  is  thy  victory?  use  of  iste  in  the  sense  of  hie  is 
O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  Now      common  in  medieval  Latin. 

the  sting  of  death  is  sin."    I.  Cor.  29.    in  te,  Domine  etc  •    From 

XV,  55,  56.  Ps.  XXX,  1. 


16  LATIN    HYMNS 


THE  HYMNS  FOR  PRIME,  TERCE,   SEXT,  NONE, 

AND  COMPLINE 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  say  that  the  terms  Prime,  Terce,  Sext,  and 
None  are  used  in  the  Divine  Office  to  designate  the  several  divisions 
of  which  these  hymns  form  the  first  part.  The  Latin  title  prefixed  to 
the  hymns  denotes  the  time  at  which  the  given  part  of  the  breviary  is 
to  be  recited,  —  ad  Primam  (horam),  Prime,  being  about  6  o'clock 
A.  M. ;  ad  Tertiam  9  o'clock  A.  M. ;  ad  Sextam  12  o'clock  noon;  ad 
Nonam  3  o'clock  P.  M.  Compline  {completormm  from  completa) 
means  'complement',  'completion',  because  it  is  the  last  of  the  canonical 
prayers,  marking  the  close  of  the  day. 

These  five  hymns  are  all  of  an  early  date.  Those  for  Terce,  Sext 
and  None  probably  belong  to  the  fourth  century,  many  hymnodists 
being  of  opinion  that  they  are  the  compositions  of  St.  Ambrose,  who 
died  in  397  A.  D.  At  any  rate,  they  are  in  the  Ambrosian  style,  simple 
in  expression,  concise  and  objective. 

Priests  have  a  special  interest  in  this  series  of  short  hymns  owing  to 
the  fact  that  they  recite  them  every  day.  For  this  reason  I  have 
noted  the  few  verbal  changes  introduced  in  them  under  Urban  VIII 
(see  Appendix).  As  will  be  seen,  these  hymns  were  left  almost  com- 
pletely untouched  by  the  revisers,  the  first  two  undergoing  no  change 
whatever,  except  for  a  word  or  so  in  the  doxology.  A  translation  is 
added  to  each,  not  because  it  is  needed,  but  for  the  general  reason  that 
many  a  reader,  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  wording  and  meaning  of 
a  hymn  in  some  foreign  tongue,  often  finds  a  peculiar  delight  in  reading 
the  same  in  the  vernacular. 

Meter:    Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 

AD  PRIMAM 

The  several  petitions  of  this  beautiful  morning  prayer  are:  1. 
Preservation  from  all  evil  (3,  4)  ;  2.  Restraint  of  the  senses — the  tongue 
(5,  6),  the  eyes  (7,  8)  ;  3.  Purity  of  heart  (9,  10)  ;  4.  Repression  of 
carnal  passion  by  self-denial  in  food  and  drink  (11,  12). 

Jam  lucis  orto  sidere  5  Linguam  ref  renans  temperet, 

Deum  precemur  supplices,  Ne  litis  horror  insonet : 

Ut  in  diurnis  actibus  Visum  fovendo  contegat, 

Nos  servet  a  nocentibus.  Ne  vanitates  hauriat. 

Notes — 5,  6.  linguam  refre-  may  bridle  our  tongue  and  direct 
nans:  It  is  noteworthy  that  the  our  speech,  lest  dread  bickering 
first  petition  should  be  'that  God      be  heard'.     We  are  reminded  of 


LATIN    HYMNS 


17 


Sint  pura  cordis  intlma, 
10  Absistat  et  vecordia : 
Carnis  terat  superbiam 
Potus  cibique  parcitas. 


Ut  cum  dies  abcesserit, 
Noctemque  sors  reduxerit, 
15  Mundi  per  abstinentiam 
Ipsi  canamus  gloriam. 


Deo  Patri  sit  gloria, 
Ejusque  soli  Filio, 
Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito, 
20  Nunc  et  per  omne  saeculum. 


St.  James  III,  6,  'the  tongue  is  a 
fire,  a  world  of  iniquity'. 

7.  fovendo  contegat:  fovere 
when  applied  to  the  body,  or  any 
part  of  it,  is  a  nursing  term, 
meaning  to  'care  for',  'attend',  'ap- 
ply poultices  or  lotions' ;  hence  we 
may  translate,  'may  He  in  His 
care  for  us  veil  our  eyes'.  There 
may  also  be  the  idea  of  'covering, 
wrapping  up',  specifying  the  gen- 
eral meaning  of  contegat.  This 
was  evidently  the  sense  in  which 
Newman    understood   the   phrase. 

8.  hauriat:  the  subject  is  visus, 
'lest  they   (my  eyes)    drink  in'. 

10.  vecordia:  'folly',  'outbursts 
of  temper';  from  the  particle 
"ve",  which  means  'out'  and  is 
used  as  a  negative  or  as  an  in- 
tensive, and  cor;  hence  vecors  and 
vesanus  (insane),  but  vepallidus 
(very  pale). 

15.  mundi:  the  adjective  miin- 
diis. 

19.     The  unrevised  text  reads : 
sancto  siniul  cum  Spiritu. 
Cardinal  Newman  translates : 
The    star    of    morn   to    night 
succeeds ; 
We  therefore  meekly  pray, 


May  God  in  all  our  words  and 
deeds, 
Keep    us    from    harm    this 
day: 

5.    May  He   in  love  restrain   us 

still 
From     tones     of     strife     and 

words  of  ill. 
And  wrap   around  and  close 

our  eyes 
To  earth's  absorbing  vanities. 

May  wrath  and  thoughts  that 

gender  shame 

10.        Ne'er  in  our  breasts  abide; 

And  cheerful  abstinences  tame 

Of  wanton  flesh  the  pride: 

So,    when    the    weary    day   is 

o'er, 
And  night  and  stillness  come 

once  more, 
15.    Strong  in  self-conquering 

purity, 
We  may  proclaim,  with  choirs 

on  high : 

Praise    to    the    Father,    as    is 
meet, 
Praise  to  the  only  Son, 
Praise  to  the  holy  Paraclete, 
20.       While  endless  ages  run. 


18 


LATIN    HYMNS 


AD  TERTIAM 

In  the  first  stanza  the  poet  prays  for  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  the  second  he  calls  upon  the  faculties  of  soul  and  body  to 
glorify  Him. 

Nunc,  sancte,  nobis,  Spiritus,    5  Os,  lingua,  mens,  sensus, 

Unum  Patri  cum  Filio,  vigor, 

Conf  essionem  personent, 
Dignare  promptus  ingeri,  piamescat  igne  caritas, 

Nostro  refusus  pectori.  Accendat  ardor  proximos. 


Praesta,  Pater  piissime, 
10  Patrique  compar  unice. 
Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito, 
Regnans  per  omne  saeculum. 


Notes — 1.  nunc:  i.  e.  at  the 
third  hour  of  the  day,  the  hour  at 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down 
upon  the  Apostles,  Acts  H,  15. 

2.  unum:  the  "oneness"  of  the 
Deity,  hence  the  neuter  gender. 

3.  dignare  etc. :  'deign  to  come 
to  us  in  strength,  pouring  into  our 
hearts  a  flood  of  grace.'  promp- 
tus: the  use  of  the  adjective  in 
place  of  the  adverb  is  common  in 
Latin;  here  it  is  to  be  taken  with 
ingeri.  refusus  (re  and  fundo) 
always  implies  the  idea  of  'welling 
up,'  'overflowing;'  it  is  here  taken 
in  a  middle  sense. 

Come,  Holy  Ghost,  Who,  ever 

One, 
Reignest  with  Father  and  with 

Son, 


It  is  the  hour,  our  souls  pos- 
sess 

With  Thy  full  flood  of  holi- 
ness. 

5.    Let  flesh,  and  heart,  and  lips 

and  mind, 
Sound    forth    our   witness    to 

mankind; 
And  love  light  up  our  mortal 

frame 
Till    others    catch    the    living 

flame. 

Now    to    the    Father,    to    the 
Son, 
10.    And   to   the   Spirit,   Three   in 
One, 
Be    praise,    and    thanks,    and 

glory  given, 
By  men  on  earth,  by  Saints  in 
heaven. 

— Cardinal  Newman. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


19 


AD  SEXTAM 

A  prayer  to  God  as  the  ruler  of  all  creation  that  He  may  extin- 
guish evil  passion  and  grant  us  health  of  body  and  peace  of  mind. 


Rector  potens,  verax  Deus, 
Qui  temperas  rerum  vices, 
Splendore  mane  illuminas, 
Et  ignibus  meridiem. 


5  Exstingue  flammas  litium, 
Auf  er  calorem  noxium, 
Confer  salutem  corporum, 
Veramque  pacem  cordium. 


Praesta,  Pater  piisime, 
10  Patrique  compar  Unice, 
Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito, 
Regnans  per  omne  saeculum. 


Notes — 2.  temperas:  'control', 
'direct' ;  when  used  with  the  Dat. 
it  means  'restrain.'  rerum  vices: 
the  periodical  changes  in  the  or- 
der of  nature. 

3.  illuminas:  the  original  text 
has  instruis. 

Cardinal  Newman  translates: 

O  God,  Who  can  not  change 

nor  fail, 
Guiding  the  hours  as  they  roll 

by. 
Brightening    with    beams    the 

morning  pale. 
And  burning  in  the  mid-day 

sky; 


5.    Quench  Thou  the  fires  of  hate 

and  strife, 
The    wasting    fever     of     the 

the  heart; 
From  perils  guard  our  feeble 

life, 
And  to  our  souls  Thy  peace 

impart. 

Grant    this,    O    Father,    Only 

Son, 
10.    And    Holy     Spirit,     God     of 

grace. 
To  Whom  all  glory.  Three  in 

One, 
Be   given   in   every  time   and 

place. 


20 


LATIN    HYMNS 


AD  NONAM 

The  hymn  is  a  petition  for  light  and  strength  in  the  evening  of 
life,  a  holy  death  and  bliss  eternal. 


Rerum,  Deus,  tenax  vigor,  5  Largire  lumen  vespere, 
Immotus  in  te  permanens,         Quo  vita  nusquam  decidat, 
Lucis  diurnae  tempora  Sed  praemium  mortis  sacrae 

Successibus  determinans ;         Perennis  instet  gloria, 

Praesta,  Pater  piissime, 
10  Patrique  compar  Unice, 
Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito, 
Regnans  per  omne  saeculum. 


Notes — 1.  God  is  the  enduring 
(tenax)  strength  of  all  created 
things  (rerum).  His  energizing 
influence  continually  goes  out  to 
them ;  if  it  did  not,  they  could  not 
continue  to  exist. 

4.  successibus:  'by  the  succes- 
sion' of  day  and  night. 

5.  lumen:  the  word  is  due  to 
the  revisers ;  in  place  of  it  the  old 
text  had  clarum. 

10,  12.  In  V.  10  the  original 
version  had  Patrfsque,  and  v.  12 
read  et  nunc  et  in  perpetuum. 
This  was  the  reading  also  in  w. 
10  and  12  of  the  two  preceding 
hymns. 


10. 


O     God,     Unchangeable    and 
True, 
Of  all  the  Light  and  Power, 
Dispensing    light     in     silence 
through 
Every  successive  hour; 

Lord,   brighten   our   declining 
day, 
That  it  may  never  wane, 
Till    death,    when    all    things 
round  decay. 
Brings  back  the  morn  again. 

This  grace  on  Thy  redeemed 
confer. 
Father,  Coequal  Son, 
And   Holy   Ghost,    the    Com- 
forter, 
Eternal  Three  in  One. 
— Cardinal  Newman. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


21 


AD  COMPLETORIUM 

A  prayer  for  God's  protection  during  the  night  and  freedom  from 
temptation. 


Te  lucis  ante  terminum, 
Rerum  Creator,  poscimus, 
Ut  pro  tua  dementia 
Sis  praesul  et  custodia. 


5  Procul  recedant  somnia 
Et  noctium  phantasmata, 
Hostemque  nostrum  comprime, 
Ne  polluantur  corpora. 


Praesta,  Pater  piissime, 
10  Patrique  compar  Unice, 
Cum  Spiritu  Paraclito 
Regnans  per  omne  saeculum. 


Notes — 3.    pro  tua  dementia: 

the  original  was  solita  dementia. 

4.  et  custodia:  the  unrevised 
text  read  ad  custodiam. 

9  etc.  The  wording  of  the  dox- 
ology  before  1632  was : 

Praesta,  Pater,  omnipotens. 
Per   Jesum    Christum    Domi- 

num. 
Qui  tecum  in  perpetuum 
Regnat  cum  Sancto  Spiritu. 

Now   that  the   day-Hght   dies 
away. 
By  all  Thy  grace  and  love, 


10. 


Thee,  Maker  of  the  world,  we 
pray 
To  watch  our  bed  above. 
Let  dreams  depart  and  phan- 
toms fly. 
The  offspring  of  the  night. 
Keep  us,  like  shrines,  beneath 
Thine  eye, 
Pure  in  our  foe's  despite. 

This  grace  on  Thy  redeemed 
confer. 
Father,  Coequal  Son, 
And    Holy    Ghost,    the    Com- 
forter, 
Eternal  Three  in  One. 
— Cardinal  Newman. 


22  LATIN   HYMNS 


AUDIT  TYRANNUS  and  SALVETE  FLORES 

MARTYRUM 

(Prudentius) 

Aurelius  Clemens  Prudentius  (348-405)  was  born  in  Spain,  edu- 
cated for  the  bar,  and  held  several  important  judicial  positions.  When 
fifty-six  years  old  he  determined  to  devote  his  literary  talents  to  the 
service  of  God.  He  became  a  prolific  writer.  His  poems  "represent  the 
most  substantial  addition  to  Latin  lyrical  poetry  since  Horace  and  the 
complete  triumph  of  the  new  religion.  ...  In  the  brilliance  and 
vigor  of  their  language,  their  picturesque  style,  and  the  new  joy  that, 
in  spite  of  their  asceticism,  burns  throughout  them,  they  gave  an  im- 
pulse of  immense  force  towards  the  development  of  Christian  litera- 
ture." Mackail,  Latin  Literature,  p.  271,  Bentley  calls  him  "the 
Horace  and  Virgil  of  the  Christians." 

In  the  Roman  Breviary  the  two  following  hymns  are  set  for  the 
feast  of  the  Holy  Innocents,  December  28.  They  are  excerpts  from  a 
larger  work,  the  Liber  Cathemerinon,  a  title  which,  according  to  its 
derivation,  is  rendered  by  W.  S.  Lilly  as  "The  Christian  Day."  Other 
hymns  in  the  breviary  from  the  pen  of  Prudentius  are  Ales  Diei  Nun- 
tiiis,  Nox  et  Tenebrae  et  Nubila,  Lux  Ecce  Surgit  Aurea. 

For  a  commentary  and  translation  see  A,  E.  R.  XV,  557. 

Meter:     Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 

Audit  Tyrannus 

Audit  tyrannus  anxius  5  Exclamat  amens  nuntio  : 
Adesse  regem  principem,  Successor  instat,  pellimur ; 

Qui  nomen  Israel  regat,  Satelles,  i,  ferrum  rape, 

Teneatque  David  regiam.  Perfunde  cunas  sanguine. 

Quid  proficit  tantum  nefas  ? 
10  Quid  crimen  Herodem  juvat? 
Unus  tot  inter  funera 
Impune  Christus  tollitur. 

Notes — 1.    anxius:    "And  king  5.     Observe  the  dramatic  char- 
Herod  hearing  this  was  troubled,  acter  of   this  and  the   succeeding 
and     all     Jerusalem     with     him."  lines. 
Matth.  II,  3.  10.    crimen  is  subject,  Herodem 

3.     Cf.    Matth.    II,    6.     regat:  direct  object  of  juvat,  quid  Pred. 

Subjunctive  of  Purpose.  Ace. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


23 


Salvete  Flores  Martyrum 

Salvete,  flores  martyrum,  5  Vos,  prima  Christi  victima, 

Quos  lucis  ipso  in  limine  Grex  immolatorum  tener, 

Christi  insecutor  sustulit,  Aram  sub  ipsam  simplices 

Ceu  turba  nascentes  rosas.  Palma  et  coronis  luditis. 

Jesu,  tibi  sit  gloria, 
10  Qui  natus  es  de  Virgine, 
Cum  Patre  et  almo  Spiritu, 
In  sempiterna  saecula. 


Salvete  Flores.  Notes — The 
language  and  imagery  of  these 
few  verses  are  simple  but  exceed- 
ingly beautiful.  Dr.  Henry  trans- 
lates : 
All  hail !  ye  tender  martyr- flowers. 

2.      lucis    etc. :     'Just    on    the 
threshold  of  their  lives.' 
4.     ceu,  etc. : 

as  the  gale 


Strews  the  roses  ere  they  blow. 

— Caswall. 

7.  aram:  "I  saw  under  the 
altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were 
slain  for  the  word  of  God."  Apoc. 
VI,  9. 

At  the  very  altar  ye 

With  your  fatal  crowns  and  palms 

Sport  in  your  simplicity. 

— ^Caswall. 


24 


LATIN    HYMNS 


AD   REGIAS  AGNI  DAPES 

The  hymn  was  written  to  celebrate  the  first  Holy  Communion  o£ 
the  newly  baptized,  and  probably  belongs  to  the  fifth  century.  It  ranks 
among  the  best  Latin  hymns.  Its  authorship  is  uncertain,  though  often 
attributed  to  St.  Ambrose.  For  the  wording  of  the  original  text  see 
Appendix  at  the  end  of  this  book. 

Meter:     Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 


Ad  regias  Agni  dapes, 
Stolis  amicti  candidis, 
Post  transitum  maris  rubri, 
Christo  canamus  principi ; 

5  Divina  cujus  caritas 

Sacrum  propinat  sanguinem, 
Almique  membra  corporis 
Amor  sacerdos  immolat. 

Sparsum  cruorem  postibus 
10  Vastator  horret  angelus, 
Fugitque  divisum  mare, 
Merguntur  hostes  fluctibus. 


Jam  Pascha  nostrum 

Christus  est, 
Paschalis  idem  victima, 
15  Et  pura  puris  mentibus 
Sinceritatis  azyma. 

O  vera  caeli  victima, 
Subjecta  cui  sunt  tartara, 
Soluta  mortis  vincula, 
20  Recepta  vitae  praemia. 

Victor  subactis  inferis 
Tropaea  Christus  explicat, 
Caeloque  aperto  subditum 
Regem  tenebrarum  trahit. 


Notes — 1.  "Blessed  are  they 
that  are  called  to  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb."  Apocalypse 
XIX,  9. 

2.  Stolis:  White  garments 
were  worn  by  the  newly  baptized 
from  Holy  Saturday,  the  day  of 
their  baptism,  till  Low  Sunday, 
still  called  Dominica  in  Albis. 

3.  The  crossing  of  the  Red  Sea 
is  a  type  of  baptism.  Read  the 
touching  words  of  St.  Paul,  I  Cor. 
X,  1  scq. 

5.    propinat:  'gives  to  drink'. 
9-13.     The    events    commemo- 
rated   by    the    Jewish    Pasch    are 


here  condensed  into  four  beauti- 
ful lines  and  contrasted  with  the 
Pasch  of  the  New  Law  in  the 
next  stanza.  Cf.  Exodus  cc.  XI, 
XII,  XIV. 

10.  vastator  angelus:  verbal 
nouns  in  or  are  often  used  ad- 
jectively;  cf.  Livy's  victor  exer- 
citus. 

11.  'The  sea  parting  retreated'. 
13-17.     Cf.  I  Cor.  V,  7,  8. 

15,  16.  'And  to  pure  hearts  the 
pure  unleavened  bread  of  sincer- 
ity'. 

18.  cui  (monosyll.)  :  'by  Whom'; 
dative  of  the  Agent. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


25 


25  Ut  sis  perenne  mentibus 
Paschale,  Jesu,  gaudium, 
A  morte  dira  criminum 
Vitae  renatos  libera. 


Deo  Patri  sit  gloria, 
30  Et  Filio  qui  a  mortuis 
Surrexit,  et  Paraclito 
In  sempiterna  saecula. 


20.     recepta:  'recovered'. 

22.  'displays  His  trophies'. 

23.  Cf .  Aeneid  I,  155 :  caeloque 
invectus  aperto;  where  caelum 
means,  of  course,  'sky'.  In  our 
text  the  more  probable  meaning 
is  'heaven'. 


27.  criminum:  the  classical 
meaning  of  the  word  is  'charge', 
'accusation' ;  but  the  present  mean- 
ing, 'guilt',  'sin',  is  found  in  poetry 
at  every  period  of  the  language 
and  becomes  common  in  post- 
classical  prose. 


26  LATIN    HYMNS 


CHRISTUS  REDEMPTOR  GENTIUM 

(St.  Columba) 

St.  Columba  (Columbkille,  Coliim  Cille,  521-597)  was  born  in 
County  Donegal,  and  when  still  a  young  man  entered  the  monastery 
of  Clonard.  In  563  he  with  twelve  companions  crossed  over  to  lona, 
an  island  off  the  west  coast  of  Scotland,  where  they  built  a  monastery 
that  was  to  become  a  nursery  of  learning  and  of  apostolic  men.  The 
remainder  of  his  life  he  spent  in  evangelizing  the  inhabitants  of  north- 
ern Scotland.  It  is  stated  that  St.  Columba  wrote  three  hundred  books, 
"two  of  which,  'The  Book  of  Durrow'  and  the  psalter  called  The 
Cathach'  have  been  preserved  to  the  present  time."  Cath.  Encycl.  His 
best  known  hymn  is  the  Altiis  Prosator,  a  poem  of  276  lines.  It  is  a 
peculiar  feature  of  Irish  Hymnody  that  "not  only  the  quantitative,  but 
also  the  accentual  principle  is  rejected.  The  number  of  syllables  forms 
the  verse,  but  in  union  with  rhythm  and  alliteration."  Blume  in  Cath. 
Encycl.,  art.  "Hymnod}^"  It  was  in  Ireland,  in  the  seventh  and  eighth 
centuries,  that  rhythm  first  reached  its  perfection.  The  oldest  h>'mn 
written  in  Ireland,  and  at  the  same  time  the  oldest  purely  rhythmical 
Latin  hymn,  is  that  of  St.  Secundinus  or  Sechnall  (died  about  448)  to 
St.  Patrick.  The  first  stanza  reads  as  follows  (the  lines  are  divided 
so  as  to  show  the  rhyme)  : 

Audite,  omnes  amantes 

deum,  sancta  merita 
Viri  in  Christo  beati, 

Patricii  episcopi 
Quomodo  bonum  ob  actum 

similatur  angelis 
Perfectamque  propter  vitam 

aequatur  apostolis. 

The  text  of  the  following  little  hymn  by  St.  Columba  is  taken  from 
the  Analecta  Hymnica,  vol.  LI,  p.  285.     It  begins  with  a  refrain  (R)  : 

R.  Christus  lorica  militum. 
Christus  creator  omnium. 

Christus,  redemptor  gentium,  5  Christus,  salus  viventium 
Christus,  amator  virginum,  Et  vita  morientium, 

Christus,  fons  sapientium,  Coronavit  exercitum 

Christus,  fides  credentium ;        Nostrum  cum  turba  mar- 

tyrum. 


LATIN   HYMNS 


27 


Christus  crucem  ascenderat,  Gloria  haec  altissimo 

10  Christus  mundum  salvaverat,  Deo  Patri  ingenito, 

Christus  et  nos  redemerat,  Honor  ac  summo  Filio, 

Christus  pro  nobis  passus  est  ;20  Unico,  unigenito, 


Christus  infernum  penetrat, 
Christus  caelum  ascenderat, 
15  Christus  cum  Deo  sederat, 
Ubi  nunquam  defuerat. 


Spirituique  optimo, 
Sancto,  perf ecto,  sedulo ; 
Amen,  fiat  perpetua 
In  sempiterna  saecula. 


R.  In  te,  Christe,  credentium 
Miserearis  omnium ; 
Tu  es  Deus  in  saecula 
Saeculorum  in  gloria. 


Notes — Mary    F.    Cusack    has 
rendered  the  first  lines  as  follows : 

R.     Christ,  breastplate  in  the  hour 
of  fight, 
Christ,    who    hast    made    the 
world  and  light. 

Christ,    lover    of    the    virgin 

choir, 
Christ,  man's  Redeemer  from 

hell-fire, 


Christ,  font  of  wisdom,  pure 

and  clear, 
Christ,  in  whose  word  we  hope 

and  fear. 

Note — From  w,  9-15  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  tenses,  Pf.,  Plpf., 
and  Pres.,  are  used  without  differ- 
ence of  meaning.  In  9,  10,  11,  13 
and  14,  the  time  is  the  simple 
past;  while  in  15  it  is  present. 


28 


LATIN    HYMNS 


PANGE  LINGUA  and  LUSTRA  SEX 

(Fortunatus) 

Venantius  Honorius  Clementianus  Fortunatus  (530-609)  was  born 
at  Ceneda,  near  Treviso,  in  Italy.  At  an  early  age  he  was  converted  to 
Christianity  and  was  ordained  priest  at  Poitiers,  of  which  city  he  later 
became  bishop.  His  writings  in  prose  and  verse  are  very  numerous 
and  valuable  as  historical  documents.  Schaff  calls  the  Pange  Lingua 
one  of  the  finest  hymns  in  the  Latin  language.  Daniel  places  it  in 
pulcherrimorum  nuniero.  For  comment  and  transl.  see  A.  E.  R., 
IV,  179. 

Meter :     Trochaic  dimeter,  quantitative. 


Pange 

Pange,  lingua,  gloriosi 
Lauream  certaminis, 

Et  super  crucis  trophaeo 
Die  triumphum  nobilem, 

Qualiter  Redemptor  orbis 
Immolatus  vicerit. 


Lingua 

Hoc  opus  nostrae  salutis 
Ordo  depoposcerat, 
15  Multiformis  proditoris 
Ars  ut  artem  f  alleret, 

Et  medelam  ferret  inde, 
Hostis  unde  laeserat. 


10 


De  parentis  protoplasti 

Fraude  Factor  condolens,    20 
Quando  pomi  noxialis 

In  necem  morsu  riiit, 
Ipse  lignum  tunc  notavit, 

Damna  ligni  ut  solveret. 


Quando  venit  ergo  sacri 
Plenitude  temporis. 

Missus  est  ab  arce  Patris 
Natus,  orbis  conditor, 

Atque  ventre  virginali 
Carne  amictus  prodiit. 


Pange  Lingua 

Notes — 1.  pange:  'sing';  pan- 
gere  means,  first,  'to  set',  'fasten' ; 
then  'to  compose',  as  versus  pan- 
gere.  In  pange  lauream  the  theme 
is  put  for  the  song  to  be  com- 
posed. 

2.  lauream:  the  word  is  due  to 
the  revisers  appointed  by  Urban 
VIII  (see  Appendix).  The  orig- 
inal text  has  proelium  certaminis, 


a  reading  much  preferred  by 
hymnodists,  as  it  is  not  the  reward 
of  the  struggle  that  the  poet  in- 
tends to  sing,  but  the  glory  of  the 
struggle  itself. 

3.     super=<f^. 

5.     qualiter:  'how'. 

8.  fraude:  'guilt',  factor: 
'Maker',  'Creator'. 

10.  The  subject  of  ruit  is  to  be 
supplied  from  parentis,  line  7. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


29 


25  Vagit  infans  inter  arta 
Conditus  praesepia, 
Membra  pannis  involuta 

Virgo  Mater  alligat, 
Et  Dei  manus  pedesque 
30       Stricta  cingit  fascia. 


Sempiterna  sit  beatae 

Trinitati  gloria, 
Aequa  Patri  Filioque, 
Par  decus  Paraclito, 
35  Unius  Trinique  nomen 
Laudet  universitas. 


13,  14.  salutis  ordo:  'the  plan 
of  salvation'. 

16.  ars:  the  wisdom  of  God  is 
meant;  artem  is  the  cunning  of 
the  serpent,  fallerct:  'might  pre- 
vail over'. 

17,  18.  Cf.  Praef.  de  Cruce: 
ut  unde  mors  oriehatur,  inde  vita 
resurgeret,  et,  qui  in  ligno  vince- 


hat,  in  ligno  quoque  vinceretur. 

20.  Cf.  Gal.  IV,  4:  "When  the 
fulness  of  time  had  come," 

23.  ventre  virginali:  Abl.  of 
Separation ;  prose  would  have  the 
preposition  ex  or  de. 

25,  26.  inter  etc. :  "laid  in  the 
narrow  manger'. 

30.     fascia  is  subject  of  cingit. 


30 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Lustra  Sex 


Lustra  sex  qui  jam  peregit 
Tempus  implens  corporis, 

Sponte  libera  Redemptor 
Passioni  deditus, 
5  Agnus  in  cruce  levatur 
Immolandus  stipite. 


Flecte  ramos,  arbor  alta, 
20      Tensa  laxa  viscera 
Et  rigor  lentescat  ille, 

Quern  dedit  nativitas, 
Et  superni  membra  Regis 

Tende  miti  stipite. 


Felle  potus  ecce  languet ;         25  Sola  digna  tu  fuisti 


Spina,  clavi,  lancea 
Mite  corpus  perforarunt, 
10       Unda  manat  et  cruor ; 
Terra,  pontus,  astra  mundus 


Ferre  mundi  Victimam 
Atque  portum  praeparare 

Area  mundo  naufrago, 
Quam  sacer  cruor  perunxit 


Quo  lavantur  flumine.  30      Fusus  Agni  corpore. 


Crux  fidelis,  inter  omnes 
Arbor  una  nobilis ! 
15  Silva  talem  nulla  profert 
Fronde,  flore,  germine. 
Dulce  f  errum,  dulce  lignum 
Dulce  pondus  sustinent. 


Sempiterna  sit  beatae 
Trinitati  gloria, 

Aequa  Patri  Filioque, 
Par  decus  Paraclito, 
35  Unius  Trinique  nomen 

Laudet  uniVersitas. 


Lustra  Sex 

Notes — 1.  The  lustrum  is  a 
period  of  five  years.  Its  first 
meaning  is  the  purificatory  offer- 
ing that  was  made  every  five  years 
after  the  taking  of  the  census. 

2.  tempus:  the  time  in  which 
the  body  grows  to  maturity. 

Felle:  instrum..  Abl.  potus:  Pf. 
Pass.  Part. ;  lit.  'having  been  given 
to  drink.'  In  the  Christian  writers 
potare  is  often  used  in  the  sense 
of  "giving  to  drink."  The  poet 
probably  had  in  mind  Tertullian's 
expression :    hie  est  ille — felle   et 


aceto  potatus — De  Spectaculis,  30, 

11,  12.  The  whole  world  is 
cleansed  by  this  flow  of  blood  and 
water. 

19     etc. :      Dr.     Henry     renders 
well : 
Bend,  O  noble  tree,  thy  branches : 

Let  thy  fibres  yielding  be ! 
Let  the  rigid  strength  be  softened 

Which  in  birth  was  given  thee. 
That  the  limbs  of  my  dear  Jesus 

May  be  stretched  most  tenderh'. 

26,  27.  'As  an  ark  for  ship- 
v/rcckcd  creatures, 

Safest  harbor  to  prepare.'    id. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


31 


VEXILLA  REGIS 

(Fortunatus) 

These  inspiring  verses,  so  much  admired  by  hymnodists,  were 
written  in  the  year  569,  when  a  relic  of  the  true  cross,  sent  by  the 
emperor  Justin,  was  received  in  solemn  procession  at  Poitiers.  Cf. 
A.  E.  R.,  IV,  179. 

Meter:     Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 


Vexilla  Regis  prodeunt, 
Fulget  crucis  mysterium. 
Qua  Vita  mortem  pertulit, 
Et  morte  vitam  protulit. 


Arbor  decora  et  fulgida, 
Ornata  regis  purpura, 
15  Electa  digno  stipite 

Tarn  sancta  membra  tangere ! 


5  Quae  vulnerata  lanceae  Beata  cujus  brachiis 

xvlucrone  diro,  criminum  Pretium  pependit  saeculi ; 

Ut  nos  lavaret  sordibus,  Statera  facta  corporis, 

Manavit  unda  et  sanguine.  20  Tulitque  praedam  tartari. 


Impleta  sunt  quae  concinit 
10  David  fideli  carmine, 
Dicendo  nationibus : 
Regnavit  a  ligno  Deus. 


O  crux,  ave,  spes  unica. 
Hoc  passionis  tempore, 
Piis  adauge  gratiam, 
Reisque  dele  crimina ! 


25  Te,  f  ons  salutis  Trinitas, 
Collaudet  omnis  spiritus, 
Quibus  crucis  victoriam 
Largiris,  adde  praemium. 


Notes — 1.  vexilla:  the  stand- 
ard meant  is  most  probably  "the 
standard  of  the  Cross".  See  Dr. 
Henry's  note  A.  E.  R.,  IV,  190. 
He  translates : 

Behold  the  banners  of  the  king,, 
The  mystic  splendors  of  the  cross. 

11-13.  Cf.  Ps.  XCV,  10.  The 
Italic  version  of  the  Psalms  had : 
dicite  in  nationibus  quia  Dominus 


regnavit  a  ligno.  A  ligno  is  not 
found  in  the  Vulgate,  but  that  the 
above  was  the  version  of  the  vetiis 
Itala  is  clear  from  Tertullian  Ad- 
versus  Marcionem  III,  19,  where 
he  first  quotes  the  text  as  here 
given  and  then  argues  from  the 
very  phrase  a  ligno,  twice  again 
using  the  expression. 

14.     purpura:  the  Precious 


32 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Blood  is  meant.    Dr.  Henry  trans- 
lates : 

O  tree,  all  splendorous  and  fair, 
With    the    king's    purple    all    be- 
decked, 
Worthy  and  noble,  sole  elect 
The    Saviour's    sacred    limbs    to 
bear ! 
17  etc.     Neale  renders: 


On  whose   dear  arms,    so   widely 

flung, 
The  weight  of  this  world's  ransom 

hung: 
The  price  of  human  kind  to  pay 
And  spoil  the  spoiler  of  his  prey. 

The    last    two    stanzas    are   not 
from  the  pen  of  Fortunatus. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


33 


AVE  MARIS  STELLA 

A  very  ancient  hymn  found  in  a  manuscript  of  the  ninth  and  in 
several  of  the  eleventh  century.     Its  authorship  is  uncertain,  though  it 
has  been  tentatively  ascribed  to  Fortunatus. 
Meter :     Trochaic,  accentual. 


Ave  maris  Stella, 
Dei  mater  alma, 
Atque  semper  virgo, 
Felix  caeli  porta. 

5  Sumens  illud  Ave 
Gabrielis  ore, 
Funda  nos  in  pace, 
Mutans  Evae  nomen. 

Solve  vincla  reis, 
10  Profer  lumen  caecis. 
Mala  nostra  pelle, 
Bona  cuncta  posce. 


Monstra  te  esse  matrem, 
Sumat  per  te  preces, 
15  Qui  pro  nobis  natus, 
Tulit  esse  tuus. 

Virgo  singularis. 
Inter  omnes  mitis, 
Nos  culpis  solutos, 
20  Mites  f  ac  et  castos. 

Vitam  praesta  puram, 
Iter  para  tutum, 
Ut  videntes  Jesum, 
Semper  collaetemur. 


25  Sit  laus  Deo  Patri, 
Summo  Christo  decus, 
Spiritui  Sancto, 
Tribus  honor  unus. 


Notes — 1.     maris:     The  early 
Christians    derived    Maria    from 
mare,    the    sea;    the   word   is,    of 
course,  of  Hebrew  origin.    In  this 
connection  March  quotes  a  beau- 
tiful  stanza  of   unknown   author- 
ship : 
Omnes  rivi  cursim  fluunt, 
Et  in  sinum  maris  ruunt, 
Mare  hinc  non  efHuit ; 
Ad  Mariam  tamquam  mare 
Peccatores  currunt,  quare? 


Quia  nullum  respuit, 
O,  Maria! 

Semper  dulcis,  semper  pia. 

5-9.  Translate  :  'Receiving  that 
Ave  from  the  mouth  of  Gabriel, 
establish  us  in  peace,  changing  the 
name  of  Eva  (into  the  blessed 
Ave)\ 

13.  John  XIX,  27:  "Then  he 
said  to  the  disciple,  behold  thy 
mother." 

15.    tulit:  'deigned'. 


34 


LATIN    HYMNS 


VENI  CREATOR  SPIRITUS 

The  authorship  of  this  hymn  is  still  uncertain.  It  has  been  ascribed 
to  St.  Ambrose,  to  Gregory  the  Great  (d.  604),  to  Charlemagne,  and  to 
Rabanus  Maurus.  The  weight  of  opinion,  based  on  the  evidence  of 
the  MSS.,  is  all  in  favor  of  Rabanus  (776-856),  Abbot  of  Fulda  and 
Archbishop  of  Mainz.  For  a  thorough  discussion  of  the  subject,  a 
commentary  and  translation,  see  A.  E.  R.  XVI,  573. 

The  hymn  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  liturgy  and  possesses  a  dignity 
all  its  own,  partly  due  to  its  concise  and  vigorous  wording,  partly 
because  of  its  traditional  association.  For  a  thousand  years  has  it 
been  used  in  the  Church  at  the  most  solemn  functions, — the  election 
of  popes,  the  opening  of  synods,  the  consecration  of  bishops,  the  ordi- 
nation of  priests,  the  crowning  of  kings,  and  on  other  important  occa- 
sions when  the  Church  solemnly  invokes  the  assistance  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

Meter :     Iambic  dimeter,  quantitative. 


Veni,  Creator  Spiritus, 
Mentes  tuorum  visita, 
Imple  superna  gratia 
Quae  tu  creasti  pectora. 

5  Qui  diceris  Paraclitus, 
Altissimi  donum  Dei, 
Pons  vivus,  ignis,  caritas, 
Et  spiritalis  unctio. 

Tu  septiformis  munere, 
10  Digitus  paternae  dexterae, 
Tu  rite  promissum  Patris, 
Sermone  ditans  guttura. 

Notes — 6.  donum  Dei:  "You 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."    Acts  II,  38. 

7.  ignis:  Cf.  Luke  XII,  49. 
caritas:  Cf.  Romans  V,  5.  unc- 
tio:    Cf.  I  John  II,  20,  27. 

9.  septiformis:  "And  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him  : 


Accende  lumen  sensibus, 
Infunde  amorem  cordibus, 
15  Infirma  nostri  corporis 
Virtute  firmans  perpeti. 

Hostem  repellas  longius, 
Pacemque  dones  protinus : 
Ductore  sic  te  praevio 
20  Vitemus  omne  noxium. 

Per  te  sciamus  da  Patrem, 
Noscamus  atque  Filium, 
Teque  utriusque  Spiritum 
Credamus  omni  tempore. 

the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  under- 
standing, the  spirit  of  counsel  and 
fortitude,  the  spirit  of  knowledge 
and  of  godliness ;  and  he  shall  be 
filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  fear 
of  the  Lord."     Is.  XI,  2,  3. 

10.     digitus:     "But  if  I  by  the 
finger    of    God    cast    out    devils," 


! 


I 


LATIN    HYMNS 


35 


25  Deo  Patri  sit  gloria, 
Et  Filio,  qui  a  mortuis 
Surrexit,  ac  Paraclito, 
In  saeculorum  saecula. 


Dr.  Henry  translates : 

O  come,  Creator  Spirit  blest, 
Our  longing  souls  in  love  em- 
brace ; 
And    deign    to    fill    each    waiting 
breast 
Which    Thou    hast    made,    with 
heavenly  grace. 


Thou  who  art  called  the  Paraclete, 

The  gift  of  highest  God  above, 

The    royal    priesthood's    Unction 

meet. 

The  living  Fount,  the  Fire,  the 

Love !  Etc. 


Luke  XI,  20;  "If  I  by  the  spirit 
of  God  cast  out  devils,"  Matth. 
XII,  28;  whence  we  may  infer 
that  'finger  of  God'  is  'the  spirit 
of  God'. 

11.     promissum    is    Vocative. 


rite,  'duly',  'solemnly';  an  adverb 
may  modify  a  participial  noun. 

16.  perpeti:  from  per  pes,  -etis, 
with  the  same  meaning  as  per- 
petuus. 


36  LATIN    HYMNS 


VENI  SANCTE  SPIRITUS 

This  hymn  is  unanimously  regarded  as  one  of  the  masterpieces 
of  sacred  Latin  poetry,  "the  Golden  Sequence."  The  rhythm  is  perfect, 
the  verse-scheme  a  marvel  of  art :  every  third  verse  ends  in  -ium  and 
rhymes  with  every  other  third  verse ;  in  each  stanza,  moreover,  the 
first  line  rhymes  with  the  second,  the  fourth  with  the  fifth.  The  har- 
mony is  enriched  by  frequent  anaphora  and  assonance.  "It  defies  com- 
parison with  any  other  hymn  in  any  other  language". — Julian.  "The 
loveliest  of  all  the  hymns  in  the  whole  circle  of  Latin  sacred  poetry." 
— Trench. 

Julian  sums  up  the  question  of  authorship  as  follows :  "It  is 
clearly  not  earlier  than  about  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century. 
It  is  certainly  neither  by  Robert  II,  nor  by  Hermannus  Contractus. 
The  most  probable  author  is  Innocent  III"   (1160-1216). 

Meter :     Trochaic  dimeter  catalectic,  accentual. 

Veni  Sancte  Spiritus,  O  lux  beatissima, 

Et  emitte  caelitus  Reple  cordis  intima 

Lucis  tuae  radium.  15  Tuorum  fidelium ! 
Veni,  pater  pauperum,  Sine  tuo  numine 

5  Veni,  dator  munerum.  Nihil  est  in  homine, 

Veni,  lumen  cordium ;  Nihil  est  innoxium. 

Consolator  optime.  Lava  quod  est  sordidum, 

Dulcis  hospes  animae,  20  Riga  quod  est  aridum, 

Dulce  ref  rigerium  Sana  quod  est  saucium ; 

10  In  labore  requies,  Flecte  quod  est  rigidum, 

In  aestu  temperies,  Fove  quod  est  f  rigidum, 

In  fletu  solatium.  Rege  quod  est  devium. 

25  Da  tuis  fidelibus 

In  te  confidentibus 

Sacrum  septenarium  ; 

Da  virtutis  meritum, 

Da  salutis  exitum, 
30  Da  perenne  gaudium. 


LATIN  HYMNS 


zy 


Notes  —  2.  caelitus  (adv.)  : 
'from  heaven'. 

9.  refrigerium:  lit.  'coolness', 
*a  cooling' ;  hence  'comfort', 

11.  aestu:  the  word  means, 
first,  any  undulating,  waving  mo- 
tion; hence  'heat',  'glow';  in  its 
transferred  sense  it  means  'any 
unusual  emotion  of  the  mind', 
often  referring  to  passion.     Here 


it  probably  stands  for  'unwonted 
joy',  'exultation'. 

16.     numine:   'inspiring  grace'. 

19.    lava:     Cf.  John  III,  5. 

2i.  "And  going  up  to  him, 
bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in 
oil  and  wine."    Luke  X,  34. 

27.  septenarium:  See  note  on 
Veni  Creator  Spiritus,  line  9. 


38  LATIN    HYMNS 


SALVE  REGINA 

(Hermannus  Contractus) 

The  authorship  of  this  anthem  is  not  yet  clearly  established,  but 
the  most  probable  opinion  assigns  it  to  Hermannus  Contractus.  Her- 
mann of  Reichenau,  usually  styled  Hermannus  Contractus, — the  sur- 
name Contractus  being  due  to  the  fact  that  he  was  a  cripple  from  birth 
— was  born  in  the  year  1013  and  at  the  age  of  seven,  sent  to  the  famous 
monastery  of  Reichenau  on  the  island  of  that  name,  in  Lake  Constance, 
where  he  died  in  1054.  He  was  a  man  of  loving  personality,  and  his 
physical  helplessness  was,  in  a  way,  compensated  for  by  the  most  bril- 
liant gifts  of  intellect.  Not  only  was  he  accomplished  in  Latin,  Greek 
and  Arabic,  but  he  attracted  attention  by  his  knowledge  of  theology, 
astronomy,  music  and  mathematics.  He  is  the  author  of  the  earliest 
medieval  chronicle  now  extant. 

The  Salve  Regina  is  the  most  famous  of  the  four  anthems  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary  recited  in  turn  through  the  year  in  the  Divine 
Office,  the  other  three  being  the  Alma  Redemptoris  Mater,  the  Ave 
Regina  Caelorum  and  the  Regina  Caeli.  The  Alma  Redemptoris  Mater 
is  also  attributed  to  Hermannus  Contractus.  The  Salve  Regina  is  not 
a  hymn  in  the  technical  sense  of  the  word,  but  its  lines  are  stately  and 
sonorous,  and  there  is  a  faint  rhyming  effect  that  can  hardly  have  been 
accidental.  It  has,  for  centuries,  been  in  use  in  devotions  to  the 
B.  V.  M.,  and  is  now  recited  by  priest  and  people  after  every  ^ow 
Mass.  In  the  later  Middle  Ages,  when  all  Christians  were  Catholics 
and  regarded  Mary  as  the  Star  of  the  Sea,  sailors  and  fishermen  used 
to  sing  it  in  stormy  w-eather;  and  we  are  told  that  it  formed  part  of 
the  regular  evening  devotion  of  Columbus  and  his  crew  on  their  event- 
ful voyage  of  discovery. 

Salve  Regina,  Mater  misercordiae, 

Vita,  dulcedo  et  spes  nostra,  salve. 

Ad  te  clamamus  exules  filii  Evae; 

Ad  te  suspiramus  gementes  et  flentes  in  hac  lacrlmarum 

valle. 
Eja  ergo,  advocata  nostra,  illos  tuos  misericordes  oculos 

ad  nos  converte, 
Et  Jesum,  bcncdictum  fructum  ventris  tui,  nobis  post  hoc 

exilium  ostende. 

O  clemens,  o  pia, 

O  dulcis  Virgo  Maria. 


LATIN  HYMNS 


39 


JESU  DULCIS  MEMORIA 

The  writer  in  Julian's  Hymnological  Dictionary  (ed.  1908)  is  still 
inclined  to  attribute  this  charming  hymn  to  St.  Bernard  (1091-1153) 
with  the  remark  that  it  is  the  finest  and  most  characteristic  specimen 
of  the  Saint's  subjective  loveliness.  But  the  opinion  that  it  comes 
from  the  pen  of  St.  Bernard  must  now,  it  appears,  be  abandoned. 
Father  Blume  (see  Catholic  EncycL,  art.  "Hymnody")  pronounces 
against  it;  and  in  the  Irish  Ecclesiastical  Record  for  September,  1910, 
p.  267,  we  read  that  "the  illustrious  Benedictine,  Dom  Pothier,  has  dis- 
covered a  copy  of  the  hymn  in  manuscripts  of  about  the  year  1070,  in 
which  the  ascription  is  assigned  to  a  Benedictine  abbess."  The  original 
text  consists  of  fifty-three  stanzas. 

Meter :     Iambic  dimeter,  accentual. 


Jesu  dulcis  memoria, 
Dans  vera  cordis  gaudia 
Sed  super  mel  et  omnia 
Ejus  dulcis  praesentia. 

5  Nil  canitur  suavius, 
Auditur  nil  jucundius, 
Nil  cogitatur  dulcius, 
Quam  Jesus,  Dei  Filius. 


Quando  cor  nostrum  visitas, 
Tunc  lucet  ei  Veritas, 
Mundi  vilescit  vanitas, 
Et  intus  f  ervet  caritas. 

25  Jesu  dulcedo  cordium, 

Fons  vivus,  lumen  mentium, 
Excedens  omne  gaudium, 
Et  omne  desiderium. 


Jesu  Spes  poenitentibus,  Jesum  omnes  agnoscite, 

10  Quam  pius  es  petentibus  !         30  Amorem  ejus  poscite ; 
Quam  bonus  te  quaerentibus  !       Jesum  ardenter  quaerite, 
Sed  quid  invenientibus  ?  Quaerendo  inardescite. 


Nee  lingua  valet  dicere, 
Nee  littera  exprimere : 
15  Expertus  potest  credere, 
Quid  sit  Jesum  diligere. 

Jesu,  Rex  admirabilis 
Et  triumphator  nobilis, 
Dulcedo  inefifabilis, 
20  Totus  desiderabilis. 


Te  nostra,  Jesu,  vox  sonet, 
Nostri  te  mores  exprimant, 
35  Te  corda  nostra  diligant, 
Et  nunc  et  in  perpetuum. 

Jesu,  decus  angelicum. 
In  aure  dulce  canticum, 
In  ore  mel  mirificum, 
40  In  corde  nectar  caelicum. 


40 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Qui  te  gustant,  esuriunt, 
Qui  bibunt,  adhuc  sitiunt, 
Desiderare  nesciunt 
Nisi  Jesum,  quern  diligunt. 


Jesu,  flos  Matris  Virginis, 
Amor  nostrae  dulcedinis, 
55  Tibi  laus,  honor  nominis, 
Regnum  beatitudinis. 


i 


45  O  Jesu  mi  dulcissime,  Quocunque  loco  f  uero, 

Spes  suspirantis  animae,  Mecum  Jesu  desidero, 

Te  quaerunt  piae  lacrymae,         Quam  laetus,  cum  invenero, 

Te  clamor  mentis  intimae.  60  Quam  f  elix,  cum  tenuero ! 


Mane  nobiscum  Domine, 
50  Et  nos  illustra  lumine ; 
Pulsa  mentis  caligine, 
Mundum  reple  dulcedine. 


Jesum  quaeram  in  lectulo, 
Clauso  cordis  cubiculo, 
Privatim  et  in  publico 
Quaeram  amore  sedulo. 


65  Sis  Jesu  nostrum  gaudium, 
Qui  es  f  uturus  praemium : 
Sit  nostra  in  te  gloria, 
Per  cuncta  semper  saecula. 


LATIN    HYMNS  41 


HORA  NOVISSIMA 

(Bernard  of  Cluny) 

The  author  of  this  hymn,  born  at  Morlaix  in  Bretagne — hence 
also  called  Bernard  of  Morlaix — was  a  member  of  the  Benedictine 
order  in  the  monastery  of  Cluny,  in  the  first  half  of  the  twelfth  century. 
The  lines  here  given  are  from  the  selection  made  by  Dr.  Neale  from 
a  long  poem  of  nearly  three  thousand  lines,  entitled  de  contemptn 
mundi.  The  greater  part  of  the  poem  is  a  bitter  satire  on  the  vices  of 
the  age.  By  way  of  contrast,  however,  the  poet  gives,  in  the  first  part, 
"a  description  of  the  peace  and  glory  of  heaven,  of  such  rare  beauty,  as 
not  easily  to  be  matched  by  any  medieval  composition  on  the  same 
subject." — Neale,  Medieval  Hymns,  p.  68.  Dr.  Neale  published  the 
hymn  with  a  translation  of  his  own  in  a  booklet  bearing  the  title,  "The 
Rhythm  of  Bernard  de  Morlaix,  Monk  of  Cluny,  on  the  Celestial 
Country." 

Meter :  Dactylic  hexameter,  quantitative.  Each  verse  is  divided 
into  three  parts  without  caesura  between  them,  has  a  tailed  rhyme  and 
a  feminine  leonine  rhyme  between  the  two  first  clauses.  The  verse- 
scheme  is  a  very  difficult  one  to  handle,  and  the  author  of  the  poem 
declares  that,  had  it  not  been  for  special  assistance  from  on  high,  he 
should  not  have  been  able  to  employ  it  through  a  poem  of  such  length. 

Hora  novissima,  tempora  pessima  sunt,  vigilemus ! 
Ecce  minaciter  imminet  Arbiter  Ille  supremus: 
Imminet,  imminet,  ut  mala  terminet,  aequa  coronet. 
Recta  remuneret,  anxia  liberet,  aethera  donet. 
5     Auferat  aspera  duraque  pondera  mentis  onustae, 
Sobria  muniat,  improba  puniat,  utraque  juste. 

Curre,  vir  optime,  lubrica  reprime,  praefer  honesta, 
Fletibus  angere,  flendo  merebere  caelica  festa. 
Luce  replebere  jam  sine  vespere,  jam  sine  luna: 
10     Lux  nova,  lux  ea,  lux  erit  aurea,  lux  erit  una. 
Patria  luminis,  inscia  turbinis,  inscia  litis, 
Give  replebitur,  amplificabitur  Israelitis : 

Notes  — The  novelty  of  the  have  tempted  several  translators, 
meter,  and  the  stately  rhythm  It  is  interesting  to  compare  their 
and    movement    of    these    verses       efforts  in  rendering  the  first  lines. 


42 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Patria  splendida,  terraque  florida,  libera  spinis, 

Danda  fidelibus  est  ibi  civibus,  his  peregrinis. 
15     Pax  erit  omnibus  ilia  fidelibus,  ilia  beata, 

Irresolubilis,  invariabilis,  intemerata: 

Pax  sine  crimine,  pax  sine  turbine,  pax  sine  rixa; 

Meta  laboribus,  atque  tumultibus  anchora  fixa. 

Hortus  odoribus  affluet  omnibus,  hie  paradisus, 
20     Plenaque  gratia,  plenaque  gaudia,  cantica,  risus; 

Plena  redemptio,  plena  refectio,  gloria  plena: 
"Vi,  lue,  luctibus  aufugientibus,  exule  poena. 


Dr.  Coles,  who  has  thirteen  trans- 
lations of  the  Dies  Irae  to  his 
credit,  translates : 

The    last    of    the    hours,    iniquity 
towers, 
The  times  are  the  worst,  let  us 
vigils  be  keeping! 
Lest  the  Judge,  who  is  near,  and 
soon  to  appear, 
Shall    us    at    His    coming    find 
slumbering  and  sleeping. 
He  is  nigh.   He  is  nigh,   He   de- 
scends from  the  sky. 
For  the  ending  of  evil  and  the 
right's  coronation, 
The  just   to   reward  relief   to 
afford, 
And  the  heavens  bestow  for  the 
saints'  habitation. 

Duffield  was  bold  enough  to 
adopt  the  original  meter,  which 
Neale  considered  quite  impossible 
in  English.  Here  are  his  first 
lines : 

These  are  the  latter  times,  these 
are  not  better  times : 
Let  us  stand  waiting. 


Lo !  how,  with  awfulness,  He,  first 
in  lawfulness. 
Comes  arbitrating. 

Neale  followed  the  ballad  meas- 
ure and  wrote  as  follows : 
The  world  is  very  evil; 

The  times  are  waxing  late : 
Be  sober  and  keep  vigil ; 

The  Judge  is  at  the  gate: 
The  Judge  that  comes  in  mercy, 

The  Judge  that  comes  with 
might. 
To  terminate  the  evil, 

To  diadem  the  right. 

8.  angere:  Imperat.  Pass.,  be 
distressed,   'be  contrite'. 

9.  "And  the  city  hath  no  need 
of  the  sun,  nor  of  the  moon  lo 
shine  in  it.  For  the  glory  of  God 
hath  enlightened  it,  and  the  Lamb 
is  the  lamp  thereof."  Apoc.  XXI, 
23. 

12.  Israelitis:  citizens  of  the 
new  Jerusalem. 

18.  meta:  goal,  i.  e.  'end'. 

19.  affluet:  'will  abound'. 

22.  vi,  lue:  supply  aufugiente 
with  both ;  lues,  plague,  hence 
'sin'. 


i 


LATIN    HYMNS  43 

Hie  breve  vivitur,  hie  breve  plangitur,  hie  breve  fletur; 

Non  breve  vivere,  non  breve  plangere  retribuetur. 
25     O  retributio  !  stat  brevis  actio,  vita  perennis ; 

O  retributio !  caelica  mansio  stat  lue  plenis. 

Omnibus  unica  caelica  gratia  retribuetur, 

Omnibus,  omnibus  ulcera  flentibus  accipietur. 

Tunc  rosa  sanguine,  lilia  virgine  mente  micabunt ; 
30     Gaudia  maxima  te,  pia  lacrima  te  recreabunt. 

Nunc  tibi  tristia;  tunc  tibi  gaudia;  gaudia  quanta? 

Vox  nequit  edere,  lumina  cernere,  tangere  planta. 

Post  nigra,   post   mala    nost   fera   scandala,   quae   caro 
praestat, 

Absque  nigredine  lux,  sine  turbine  pax,  tibi  restat. 
35     Sunt  modo  proelia,  postmodo  praemia.    Qualia?    Plena: 

Plena  refectio,  nullaque  passio,  nuUaque  poena. 

Spe  modo  vivitur,  et  Sion  angitur  a  Babylone; 
June  tribulatio ;  tunc  recreatio,  sceptra,  coronae. 

Qui  modo  creditur,  ipse  videbitur,  atque  scietur: 
40     Ipse  videntibus  atque  scientibus  attribuetur. 

Plena  refectio,  tunc  pia  visio,  visio  Jesu: 

Cor  miserabile,  corpus  inutile,  non  erit  ultra; 

Nulla  cadavera,  nullaque  funera,  nulla  sepulchra; 

Flendaque  gaudia,  blandaque  proelia  carnis  abibunt ; 
45     Fraus,    probra,    jurgia, — quid   moror?     OMNIA    prava 
peribunt. 

Gens  bene  vivida,  vitaque  florida,  fons  David  undans; 
Lux  erit  aurea,  terraque  lactea,  melle  redundans. 

24.     breve    vivere,    plangere:       tyrs),   and   the   lily  will   shine  in 
subjects  to  retribuetur.  virgin  souls.' 

32.      lumina:      Nom.,     supply 
26.     stat    lue    plenis:    'awaits      nequeunt.    ple^nta:    'foot;'    supply 
sinful    creatures ;'   plenis   is    Dat.       neqiiit. 

37.     Sion:  the  Church.     Baby- 
29.     rosa  etc.:  'the  rose  will  be       Ion:    the    wicked    world,    or    the 
bright   with    the    blood    (of    mar-       devil. 


44 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Lux  ea  vespere,  gens  lue,  funere  vita  carebit; 
Jesus  habebitur,  ipse  tenebitur,  ipse  tenebit. 

50     Jesus  amantibus  afferet  omnibus  alta  trophaea ; 
Jesus  amabitur,  atque  videbitur  in  Galilaea. 
O  bona  Patria,  lumina  sobria  te  speculantur: 
Ad  tua  nomina,  sobria  lumina  collacrymantur : 
Est  tua  mentio  pectoris  unctio,  cura  doloris, 

55     Concipientibus  aethera  mentibus  ignis  amoris. 
Tu  locus  unicus,  illeque  caelicus  es  paradisus : 
Non  ibi  lacrima,  sed  placidissima  gaudia,  risus. 
Est  ibi  consita  laurus,  et  insita  cedrus  hysopo ; 
Sunt  radiantia  jaspide  moenia,  clara  pyropo. 

60     Hinc  tibi  sardius,  inde  topazius,  hinc  amethystus: 
Est  tua  fabrica  concio  caelica,  gemmaque  Christus. 
Tu  sine  littore,  tu  sine  tempore,  fons,  modo  rivus, 
Dulce  bonis  sapis,  estque  tibi  Lapis  undique  Vivus. 
Ipse  tuus  Deus  est  lapis  aureus,  est  tibi  murus 

65     Inviolabilis,  insuperabilis,  baud  ruiturus. 

Est  tibi  laurea,  dos  datur  aurea,  sponsa  decora, 
Primaque  Principis  oscula  suscipis,  inspicis  ora. 
Candida  lilia,  viva  monilia,  sunt  tibi,  sponsa: 
Agnus  adest  tibi,  Sponsus  adest  tibi,  lux  speciosa. 

70     Urbs  Sion  aurea,  Patria  lactea,  cive  decora, 

Omne  cor  obruis,  omnibus  obstruis  et  cor  et  ora. 
Nescio,  nescio,  quae  jubilatio,  lux  tibi  qualis. 


51.  Galilaea:  Referring  to 
Matth.  XXVIII,  7:  "And  behold 
he  will  go  before  you  into  Galilee ; 
there  you  will  see  him." 

52.  lumina  sobria  etc. :  'sad 
eyes    (now)    contemplate  thee'. 

55.    aethera:    Ace;  'heaven'. 
57.     ibi,  i.  e.  in  heaven. 
59,  60.     Cf.  Apoc.  XXI,  19  seq. 
61. 
"Thy  saints  build  up  its  fabric 


And  the  corner  stone  is  Christ." 

— Neale. 

62.  'Thou,  (ocean)  without 
shore,  thou,  (day)  without  limit.' 
"And  he  showed  me  a  river  of 
water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  pro- 
ceeding from  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb."   Apoc.  XXII,  1. 

63.  Lapis  undique  vivus:  Cf. 
I  Peter  II,  4. 

70.      Urbs   Sion:     These   lines 


LATIN    HYMNS 


45 


Quam  socialia  gaudia,  gloria  quam  specialis. 
Stant  Sion  atria  conjubilantia,  martyre  plena, 
75     Cive  micantia,  Principe  stantia,  luce  serena. 
Est  tibi  pascua  mitibus  afflua,  praestita  Sanctis; 
Regis  ibi  thronus,  agminis  et  sonus  est  epulantis. 

Gens  duce  splendida,  concio  Candida  vestibus  albis, 

Sunt  sine  fletibus  in  Sion  aedibus,  aedibus  almis ; 

80     Pax  ibi  florida,  pascua  vivida,  viva,  medulla, 

Nulla  molestia,  nulla  tragoedia,  lacrima  nulla. 
O  sacra  potio,  sacra  refectio,  pax  animarum, 

O  pius,  O  bonus,  O  placidus  sonus,  hymnus  earum ! 

Urbs  Sion  inclita,  gloria  debita  glorificandis, 
85     Tu  bona  visibus  interioribus  intima  pandis ; 

Intima  lumina,  mentis  acumina,  te  speculantur ; 

Pectora  flammea  spe  modo,  postea  sorte,  lucrantur. 

Urbs  Sion  unica,  mansio  mystica,  condita  caelo, 

Nunc  tibi  gaudeo,  nunc  mihi  lugeo,  tristor,  anhelo: 
90     O  sine  luxibus,  O  sine  luctibus,  O  sine  lite, 

Splendida  Curia,  florida  Patria,  Patria  vitae ! 


have  become  well  known  through 
Neale's  translation : 
Jerusalem  the  Golden, 

With  milk  and  honey  blest, 
Beneath  thy  contemplation 

Sink  heart  and  voice  oppressed : 
I  know  not,  O  I  know  not, 

What  social  joys  are  there; 
What  radiancy  of  glory, 

What  light  beyond  compare ! 
They  stand,  those  halls  of  Sion, 

Conjubilant  with  song. 
And  bright  with  many  an  angel, 

And  all  the  martyr  throng : 
The  Prince  is  ever  in  them; 

The  daylight  is  serene ; 
The  pastures  of  the  Blessed 

Are  decked  in  glorious  sheen. 


74.     Sion:  indecl. 

80-84.  Duffield  in  his  Latin 
Hymn — Writers  and  their  HymnSj 
p.  226,  translates: 

Peace   doth   abide   in   thee;   none 
hath  denied  to  thee 
Fruitage  undying. 
Thou  hast  no   weariness ;   nought 
of  uncheeriness 
Moves  thee  to  sighing. 
Draught  of  the  stream  of  life,  joy 
of  the  dream  of  life. 
Peace  of  the  spirit ! 
Sacred  and  holy  hymns,  placid  and 
lowly  hymns, 
Thou  dost  inherit ! 
91.     splendida  curia: 


46  LATIN    HYMNS 

Urbs  Sion  inclita,  turris  et  edita  littore  tuto, 
Te  peto,  te  colo,  te  flagro,  te  volo,  canto,  saluto : 
Net  mentis  peto ;  nam  meritis  meto  morte  perire, 
95     Nee  reticens  tego,  quod  meritis  ego  filius  irae: 
Vita  quidem  mea,  vita  nimis  rea,  mortua  vita, 
Quippe  reatibus  exitialibus  obruta,  trita. 
Spe  tamen  ambulo,  praemia  postulo  speque,  fideque; 
Ilia  perennia  postulo  praemia  nocte  dieque. 
100     Me  Pater  optimus  atque  piissimus  ille  creavit, 
In  lue  pertulit,  ex  lue  sustulit,  a  lue  lavit. 

O  bona  Patria,  num  tua  gaudia  teque  videbo? 
O  bona  Patria,  num  tua  praemia  plena  tenebo? 
Die  mihi,  flagito ;  verbaque  reddito,  dieque, — Videbis : 
105     Spem  solidam  gero :  remne  tenens  ero  ?  Die, — Retinebis. 


"O    princely    bow'rs,    O    land    o£  94.    meto:  reap,  i.  e.  deserve, 

flowers!  95.    quod:     Conjunction;    sup- 

O  Realm  and  Home  of  Life."  ply  sum. 

— Neale. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


47 


UT  JUCUNDAS  CERVUS  UNDAS 

(Bernard  of  Cluny) 

The  above  title  is  the  first  line  of  a  very  lengthy  poem,  or  "rather 
cycle  of  poems  or  hymns  known  as  the  Mariale."  It  has  been  attributed 
to  St.  Anselm,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  (d.  1109)  ;  to  St.  Bernard 
(d.  1153)  ;  to  Hildebert,  Archbishop  of  Tours  (d.  1134)  ;  and  to  St. 
Thomas  (d.  1274)  ;  but  is  now  regarded  by  hymnodists — and  that  for 
good  reasons — as  the  production  of  Bernard  of  Cluny.  The  earliest 
extant  manuscript  was  written  about  1150,  and  is  entitled  Invocatio 
Divinae  Sapientiae  facta  a  Bernardo  in  laudem  monacho  perpetnae  Vir- 
ginis.  The  verses  breathe  devotion  in  every  line  and  have  been  much  [j 
in  favor  with  clients  of  Mary  in  every  age;  while  their  polish  and 
elegance  and  the  rhyme  employed  mark  them  out  as  the  work  of  an 
accomplished  Latin  scholar. 

The  cento  beginning  Omni  die  die  Mariae  has  often  been  errone- 
ously attributed  to  St.  Casimir  of  Poland,  who  died  in  1484. 

Meter:     Iambic  dimeter,  accentual. 


Ut  jucundas  cervus  undas 
Aestuans  desiderat, 

Sic  ad  rivum  Dei  vivum 
Mens  fidelis  properat. 

5  Sicut  rivi  fontis  vivi 

Praebent  refrigerium, 
Ita  menti  sitienti 
Deus  est  remedium. 

Quantis  bonis  superponis 
10       Sanctos  tuos,  Domine : 
Sese  laedit  qui  recedit 
Ab  aeterno  lumine. 

Vitam  laetam  et  quietam, 
Qui  te  quaerit  reperit ; 
15  Nam  labor  em  et  dolorem 
Metit  qui  te  deserit. 

Notes — 1-4.  The  thought  is 
taken  from  Ps.  XLI,  1  :  Qiiemad- 
modum  desiderat  cervus  etc.,  "As 


Pacem  donas  et  coronas 
His  qui  tibi  militant ; 
Cuncta  laeta  sine  meta 
20       His  qui  tecum  habitant. 

Heu  quam  vana,  mens 
humana, 

Visione  f  alleris ! 
Dum  te  curis  nocituris 

Imprudenter  inseris. 

25     Recordare  quis  et  quare 
Sis  a  Deo  conditus ; 
Hujus  heres  nunc  maneres, 
Si  fuisses  subditus. 

O  mortalis,  quantis  malis 
30       Meruisti  affici, 

Dum  Rectori  et  Auctor 
Noluisti  subjici. 

the  hart  panteth  after  the  foun- 
tains of  water,  so  my  soul  panteth 
after  thee,  O  God." 


48 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Sed  majores  sunt  dolores 
Inf ernalis  carceris ; 
35  Quo  mittendus  et  torquen- 
dus 
Es,  si  male  vixeris. 

Cui  mundus  est  jucundus, 

Suam  perdit  animam ; 
Pro  re  levi  atque  brevi 
40       Vitam  perdit  optimam. 

Ergo  cave  ne  suave 

Jugum  spernas  Domini ; 
Nee  abjecta  lege  recta 
Servias  libidini. 

45  Preces  funde,  pectus  tunde, 
Flendo  cor  humilia : 
Paenitenti  et  gementi 
Non  negatur  venia. 

Omni  die  dig  mariae 
50      Mea  laudes  anima, 
Ejus  festa,  ejus  gesta 
Cole  devotissima. 

Contemplare  et  mirare 
Ejus  celsitudinem ; 
55  Die  felicem  genetricem, 
Die  beatam  Virginem 

Ipsam  cole  ut  de  mole 

Criminum  te  liberet ; 
Hanc  apella,  ne  procella 
60      Vitiorum  superet. 

Haec  persona  nobis  dona 
Contulit  caelestia ; 


Haec  regina  nos  divina 
Illustravit  gratia. 

65  Sine  fine  die  reginae 

Mundi  laudem,  cantica, 
Ejus  bona  semper  sona, 
Semper  illam  praedica. 

Quamvis  sciam  quod 
Mariam 
70  Nemo  digne  praedicet, 
Tamen  vanus  et  insanus 
Est  qui  illam  reticet. 

Ipsa  donet  ut,  quod  monet 
Natus  ejus,  f  aciam : 
75  Ut  finita  carnis  vita 

Laetus  hunc  aspiciam. 

O  cunctarum  f  eminarum 
Decus  atque  gloria ! 
Quam  electam  et  evectam 
80       Scimus  super  omnia. 

Vitae  forma,  morum  norma, 
Plenitudo  gratiae : 

Dei  templum  et  exemplum 
Totius  justitiae. 

85  Reparatrix,  consolatrix 
Desperantis  animae ! 
A  pressura,  quae  ventura 
Malis  est,  me  redime. 

Pro  me  pete  ut  quiete 
90       Sempiterna  perf ruar : 
Ne  tormentis  comburentis 
Stagni  miser  obruar. 


LATIN    HYMNS  49 

Ut  sim  castus  et  modestus,     105  Fac  me  mitem,  pelle  litem, 
Dulcis,  blandus,  sobrius,  Compesce  lasciviam : 

95  Pius,  rectus,  circumspectus,  Contra  crimen  da  munimen 

Simultatis  nescius.  Et  mentis  constantiam. 

Constans,  gravis,  atque  ,,  ,.  .    . 

JN  on  me  liget  nee  fatiget 

_,     .        '  ,  .,.  110       Saeculi  cupiditas, 

Benignus,  amabilis, 


Simplex,  purus  et  maturus, 
100       Patiens  et  humilis. 


Quae  indurat  et  obscurat 
Mentes  sibi  subditas. 


Commendare  me  dignare  Da  levamen  et  juvamen 

Christo  tuo  Filio,  Tuum  illis  jugiter, 

Ut  non  cadam,  sed  evadam  115  Tua  festa,  tua  gesta 
De  mundi  nauf  ragio.  Qui  colunt  alacriter. 


50  LATIN    HYMNS 


POTESTATE  NON  NATURA 

(Adam  of  St.  Victor) 

The  Abbey  of  St.  Victor,  from  which  the  greatest  of  hymnodists 
takes  his  name,  lay  in  the  suburb  of  Paris  and  was  celebrated,  especially 
in  the  twelfth  century,  as  a  school  of  Theology.  "Probably  no  other 
religious  foundation,"  says  Wrangham,  "could  boast  of  such  a  brilliant 
triad  of  doctors  of  divinity  as  the  one  that  graced  this  abbey  during 
that  century."  These  three  are  Hugh  of  St.  Victor,  who  was  by  birth 
a  Saxon;  Richard  of  St.  Victor,  a  native  of  Scotland;  and  Adam  of 
St.  Victor,  who  was  born  either  in  England  or  in  Brittany.  Little  is 
known  of  Adam's  life.  In  all  probability  he  studied  at  the  University 
of  Paris,  entered  the  monastery  as  a  young  man,  where  he  lived  the  rest 
of  his  life  and  died  some  time  between  1172  and  1192.  He  was  a  most 
prolific  hymn  writer.  His  works  were  published  in  Paris  in  1859, 
edited  by  M.  Gautier.  Upon  this  edition  is  based  the  work  of  Digby  S. 
Wrangham,  The  Liturgical  Poetry  of  Adam  of  St.  Victor  with  Trans- 
lations into  English  in  the  Original  Meters,  3  Vols. ;  Kegan  Paul, 
Trench  and  Co. 

Trench  (p.  57)  says  of  Adam  of  St.  Victor:  "His  profound 
acquaintance  with  the  whole  circle  of  the  theology  of  his  time,  and 
eminently  with  its  exposition  of  Scripture, — the  abundant  and  admirable 
use,  with  indeed  the  drawback  already  mentioned  (fondness  for  learned 
allusions)  which  he  makes  of  it,  delivering  as  he  thus  does  his  poems 
from  the  merely  subjective  cast  of  those,  beautiful  as  they  are,  of  St. 
Bernard — the  exquisite  art  and  variety  with  which  for  the  most  part 
his  verse  is  managed  and  his  rhymes  disposed — their  rich  melody  multi- 
plying and  ever  deepening  at  the  close — ^the  strength  which  often  he 
concentrates  into  a  single  line — his  skill  in  conducting  a  story — and 
most  of  all,  the  evident  nearness  of  the  things  which  he  celebrates  to 
his  own  heart  of  hearts — all  these,  and  other  excellencies,  render  hifti, 
as  far  as  my  judgment  goes,  the  foremost  among  the  sacred  Latin 
poets  of  the  Middle  Ages."  Neale,  himself  a  competent  judge,  remarks 
of  the  above  estimate  that  "if  it  have  a  fault,  I  think  that  it  hardly 
does  this  wonderful  poet  justice,"  p.  107.  Again,  Neale  writes:  "What 
are  we  to  think  of  the  genius  that  could  pour  forth  one  hundred 
Sequences,  of  which  fifty  at  least  are  unequaled  save  by  the  Dies 
Irae?" — Medieval  Hymns,  Preface,  X. 

Meter :     Trochaic  dimeter,  accentual. 

The  theme  is  the  birth  of  Christ. 

Potestate,  non  natura  5  Praedicatus  per  prophetas, 

Fit  Creator  creatura,  Quern  non  capit  locus,  aetas, 

Reportetur  ut  factura  Nostrae  sortis  intrat  metas, 

Factoris  in  gloria.  Non  relinquens  propria. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


51 


Caelum  terris  inclinatur, 
10  Homo-Deus  adunatur,  30 

Adunato  f  amulatur 
Caelestis  familia. 
Rex  sacerdos  consecratur 
Generalis,  quod  monstratur 
15  Cum  pax  terris  nuntiatur 

Et  in  altis  gloria.  35 

Causam  quaeris,  modum  rei  ? 
Causa  prius  omnes  rei, 
Modus  justum  velle  Dei, 
20       Sed  conditum  gratia.  .^ 

O  quam  dulce  condimentum. 
Nobis  mutans  in  pigmentum 
Cum  aceto  f  el  cruentum, 
Degustante  Messia ! 

25  O  salubre  sacramentum, 

Quod  nos  ponit  in  jumentum,45 
Plagis  nostris  dans  unguen- 
tum, 
Ille  de  Samaria. 


Ille  alter  Elisaeus 
Reputatus  homo  reus, 
Suscitavit  homo  Deus 
Sunamitis  puerum. 

Hie  est  gigas  currens  f ortis, 
Qui,  destructa  lege  mortis, 
Ad  amoena  primae  sortis 
Ovem  f  ert  in  humerum. 
Vivit,  regnat  Deus-homo, 
Trahens  orco  lapsum  pomo ; 
Caelo  tractus  gaudet  homo 
Denum  complens  numerum. 

Patris  mater,  meta  vatum, 
Ora  Patrem,  jube  natum, 
Nos  ut  ducat  ad  hunc  statum 
Plenum  pace,  gloria, 
Quo  refecti 
Visu  Dei 
Cantemus  Alleluia. 
Amen  dicant  omnia. 


Notes — 3.     factura:   'creature.' 

6.  quern  non  etc. :  'whom 
neither  space  nor  time  can  con- 
tain.' 

11,  12.  "And  behold  angels 
came  and  ministered  to  him." 
Matth.  IV,  11.  Cf.  also  Luke  II, 
10-13;  XXII,  43. 

19.  modus  etc.:  the  way  was 
that  chosen  by  the  will  of  God 
ever  just  and  kind. 

21.  "O  how  sweet  their  blended 
savor."     Wrangham. 

22.  pigmentum:  wine  flavored 
with  spices  and  honey,  which  is 
also    one    meaning   of    our   word 


"pigment."  mutans  agrees  with 
condimentum. 

23.  fel  cruentum:  object  of 
mutans  and  also  the  implied  ob- 
ject of  degustante. 

26-28.  The  reference  is  to  the 
good  Samaritan,  cf.  Luke  X,  34. 

29-32.  Eliseus  is  a  type  of 
Christ.  For  the  miracle  referred 
to  see  4  Kings  IV. 

35.  amoena:  'the  joys  of  his 
first  estate.' 

38.  orco:  Abl.  of  Separation 
after  trahens.  lapsum:  'fallen 
man.' 


52 


LATIN    HYMNS 


QUI  PROCEDIS  AB  UTROQUE 

(Adam  of  St.  Victor) 


A  hymn  for  the  Feast  of  Pentecost. 
Meter :     Trochaic,  accentual. 


Qui  procedis  ab  utroque, 
Genitore  Genitoque, 
Pariter  Paraclite, 
Redde  linguas  eloquentcs, 
5  Fac  f  erventes 

In  te  mentes 
Flamma  tua  divite. 

Amor  Patris  Filiique, 
Par  amborum  et  utrique 
10       Compar  et  consimilis. 
Cuncta  reples,  cuncta  foves, 
Astra  regis,  caelum  moves, 
Permanens  immobilis. 

Lumen  carum, 
1 5  Lumen  clarum, 

Internarum 
Tenebrarum 
Effugas  caliginem ; 
Per  te  mundi  sunt  mundati ; 
20  Tu  peccatum  et  peccati 
Destruis  rubiginem. 

Notes — 11.  cuncta:  The  Holy 
Ghost  inspires  and  animates  all 
that  is  supernatural  in  this  world. 

12.  regis:  He  is  said  to  rule 
over  all  things  in  as  much  as  His 
nature  is  identical  with  that  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son. 


25 


Veritatem  notam  f  acis 
Et  ostendis  viam  pacis 
Et  iter  justitiae. 
Perversorum 

Corda  vitas, 
Et  bonorum 
Corda  ditas 
Munere  scientiae. 


30 


Te  docente 

Nil  obscurum, 
Te  praesente 
Nil  impurum ; 
Sub  tua  praesentia 
35  Gloriatur  mens  jucunda; 
Per  te  laeta,  per  te  munda 
Gaudet  conscientia. 

Tu  commutas  elementa ; 
Per  te  suam  sacramenta 
40       Habent  efficaciam : 
Tu  nocivam  vim  repellis, 
Tu  confutas  et  ref ellis 
Hostium  nequitiam. 

38.  elementa:  the  bread  and 
wine  in  the  Mass. 

39,  40.  He  is  the  source  of 
grace. 

51.  non  comburis:  The  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  to  de- 
stroy natural  affection  but  to 
purify  it. 


1 


LATIN    HYMNS 


53 


45 


50 


55 


60 


65 


Quando  venis, 

Corda  lenis ; 

Ouando  subis 

Atrae  nubis 
Effugit  obscuritas ; 

Sacer  ignis, 

Pectus  ignis 

Non  comburis, 

Sed  a  curis 
Purgas,  quando  visitas. 


75 


80 


Mentes  prius  imperitas 

Et  sopitas 

Et  oblitas 

Erudis  et  excitas. 

Foves  linguas,  formas  so-     ^^ 

num; 

Cor  ad  bonum 

Facit  pronum 

A  te  data  caritas. 

90 
O  juvamen 

Oppressorum, 

O  solamen 

Miserorum, 

Pauperum  refugium, 

Da  contemptum  terrenorum,95 

Ad  amorem  supernorum 

Trahe  desiderium ! 

70  Consolator 

Et  f  undator, 


Habitator 

Et  amator 
Cordium  humilium, 
Pelle  mala,  terge  sordes, 

Et  discordes 

Fac  Concordes, 
Et  affer  praesidium. 

Tu  qui  quondam  visitasti, 
Docuisti,  confortasti 

Timentes  discipulos, 
Visitare  nos  digneris ; 
Nos,  si  placet,  consoleris 

Et  credentes  populos. 

.  Par  majestas 
Personarum, 
Par  potestas 
Est  earum, 
Et  communis  Deitas : 
Tu,  procedens  a  duobus, 
Coaequalis  es  ambobus ; 
In  nuUo  disparitas. 

Quia  tantus  es  et  talis 
Quantus  Pater  est  et  qualis ; 

Servorum  humilitas 
Deo  Patri,  Filioque 
Redemptori,  Tibi  quoque 

Laudes  reddat  debitas. 

Amen. 


54 


LATIN    HYMNS 


HERI  MUNDUS  EXSULTAVIT 

(Adam  of  St.  Victor) 

A  hymn  in  honor  of  St.  Stephen,  whose  feast  is  celebrated  Decem- 
ber 26.  It  is  probably  the  best  of  the  many  hymns  Adam  composed  in 
honor  of  various  saints. 

Meter:     Trochaic,  accentual. 


Heri  mundus  exsultavit 
Et  exsultans  celebravit 

Christi  natalitia ; 
Heri  chorus  angelorum 
5  Prosecutus  est  caelorum 
Regem  cum  laetitia. 

Protomartyr  et  Levita^ 
Clarus  fide,  clarus  vita, 

Clarus  et  miraculis, 
10  Sub  hac  luce  triumphavit, 
Et  triumphans  insultavit 

Stephanus  incredulis. 

Fremunt  ergo  tamquam  ferae, 
Quia  victi  def  ecere 
15       Lucis  adversarii : 

Falsos  testes  statuunt, 
Et  linguas  exacuunt 
Viperarum  filii. 


Agonista,  nulli  cede, 
20  Certa  certus  de  mercede, 
Persevera,  Stephane 
Insta  f  alsis  testibus, 
Confuta  sermonibus 
Synagogam  Satanae. 


25  Testis  tuus  est  in  caelis, 
Testis  verax  et  fidelis, 
Nomen  habes  Coronati : 
Te  tormenta  decet  pati 

30       Pro  corona  gloriae. 

Pro  corona  non  marcenti 
Perf er  brevis  vim  tormenti ! 

Te  manet  victoria. 
Tibi  fiet  mors  natalis, 
35  Tibi  poena  terminalis 

Dat  vitae  primordia. 
Plenus  Sancto  Spiritu, 


Notes — In  connection  with  St. 
Stephen  and  his  martyrdom  read 
Acts  VI,  VII. 

7.  Levita:  Stephen  was  a  dea- 
con. 

10.    sub  hac  luce:  'on  this  day'. 

18.  "Ye  brood  of  vipers." 
Matth.  Ill,  7;  "O  generation  o^ 
vipers."    id.  XII,  34. 


28.  The  Greek  Stephanos  means 
corona. 

49.  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
spirit."     Acts  VII,  58. 

52.  March  says  'from  Augus- 
tine (Sermo  315)  :  "Vestimetita 
lapidantiuni  servahat  ut  omnium 
manibiis  lapidaret." ' 

55  etc. :  "Lord,  lay  not  this  sin 
to  their  charge."    Acts  VII,  59. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


55 


Penetrat  intuitu 
Stephanus  caelestia. 
40  Videns  Dei  gloriam, 

Crescit  ad  victoriam, 
Suspirat  ad  praemia. 

En  a  dextris  Dei  stantem 
Jesum,  pro  te  dimicantem, 
45       Stephane,  considera : 
Tibi  caelos  reserari, 
Tibi  Christum  revelari, 
Clama  voce  libera. 


Se  commendat  Salvatori, 
50  Pro  quo  dulce  ducit  mori 
Sub  ipsis  lapidibus. 
Saulus  servat  omnium 
Vestes  lapidantium, 
Lapidans  in  omnibus. 

55  Ne  peccatum  statuatur 
His,  a  quibus  lapidatur, 
Genu  ponit,  et  precatur, 

Condolens  insaniae : 
In  Christo  sic  obdormivit, 
60  Qui  Christo  sic  oboedivit, 
Et  cum  Christo  semper  vivit, 
Martyrum  primitiae. 


56 


LATIN  HYMNS 


VOX  SONORA  NOSTRI  CHORI 

(Adam  of  St.  Victor) 

St.  Catherine,  who  forms  the  theme  of  this  hymn,  was  the  special 
patron,  not  only  of  young  maidens  and  female  students,  but  of  philoso- 
phers, pulpit  orators  and  theologians.  But  since  the  eighteenth  century 
devotion  to  her  has  lost  much  of  its  popularity.  The  events  of  her  life 
as  told  in  this  graceful  poem  are  based  on  the  Acts  of  St.  Catherine, 
which  no  longer  exist  except  in  much  distorted  form.  The  conclusion 
of  the  critics  on  the  subject  is  "that,  if  the  principal  facts  forming  the 
outline  are  to  be  accepted  as  true,  the  multitude  of  details  by  which 
the  facts  are  almost  obscured,  most  of  the  wonderful  narrative  with 
which  they  are  embellished,  and  the  long  discourses  that  are  put  into 
the  mouth  of  St.  Catherine,  are  to  be  rejected  as  inventions,  pure  and 
simple."     Catholic  Encyclopedia,  art.  "St.  Catherine." 

Meter :     Trochaic,  accentual. 


Vox  sonora  nostri  chori 
Nostro  sonet  Conditori, 

Qui  disponit  omnia, 
Per  quern  dimicat  imbellis, 
5  Per  quenx  datur  et  puellis 

De  viris  victoria ; 


Haec  ad  gloriam  parentum 
Pulchrum  dedit  ornamentum 
1 5       Morum  privilegia ; 
Clara  per  progenitores, 
Claruit  per  sacros  mores 
Ampliori  gratia. 


Per  quem  plebs  Alexandrina         Florem  teneri  decoris, 


Feminae  non  f  eminina 
Stupuit  ingenia, 
10  Cum  beata  Catharina 

Doctos  vinceret  doctrina, 
Ferrum  patientia. 


20  Lectionis  et  laboris 
Attrivere  studia : 
Nam  perlegit  disciplinas 
Saeculares  et  divinas 
In  adulescentia. 


Notes  — 10.     Catharina:     The 

Latin  spelling  is  true  to  the  deriva- 
tion of  the  word  from  the  Greek 
katharos,     meaning     'pure'.      The 


English    spelling,    now    generally 
accepted,  is  Catherine;  but  always 
Katharine. 
31-36.     Cf.  Matth.  XXV. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


57 


25  Vas  electum,  vas  virtutum, 
Reputavit  sicut  lutum 

Bona  transitoria, 
Et  reduxit  in  contemptum 
Patris  opes  et  parentum 

30      Larga  patrimonia. 

Vasis  oleum  includens, 
Virgo  sapiens  et  prudens 

Sponso  pergit  obvia, 
Ut,  adventus  ejus  hora, 
35  Praeparata,  sine  mora 

Intret  ad  convivia. 

Sistitur  imperatori, 
Cupiens  pro  Christo  mori, 

Cujus  in  praesentia 
40  Quinquaginta  sapientes 
Mutos  reddit  et  silentes 

Virginis  facundia. 


Carceris  horrendi  claustrum, 
Et  rotarum  triste  plaustrum, 
45       Famen  et  jejunia, 
Et  quaecumque  fiunt  ei, 
Sustinet  amore  Dei, 
Eadem  ad  omnia. 

Torta  superat  tortorem, 
50  Superat  imperatorem 

Feminae  constantia : 
Cruciatur  imperator, 
Quia  cedit  cruentator, 

Nee  valent  supplicia. 

55  Tandem  capite  punitur, 
Et,  dum  morte  mors  finitur, 

Vitae  subit  gaudia. 
Angelis  mox  fuit  curae 
Dare  corpus  sepulturae 

60       Terra  procul  alia. 


37.  imperatori:  The  emperor 
Maximinus,  308-314  A.  D. 

40-42.  sapientes:  She  refuted 
the  heathen  philosophers  and  was 
the  means  of  their  conversion. 

44.  plaustrum:  a  wagon,  or 
cart;  here  the  'framework',  in 
which  the  spiked  wheels,  the  in- 
struments of  her  torture,  v/ere  set. 
'That  dread  frame  of  spike-set 
wheels.' 


56-60.  angelis  mox  fuit  curae : 
"In  the  eighth  century  her  body 
was  translated  to  the  monastery 
of  Mount  Sinai  by  holy  monks, 
who  in  medieval  legends  were 
transformed  into  angels.  .  .  . 
The  monastic  habit  is  known  in 
the  East  as  the  'angelic'  habit, 
whence  the  error  in  the  text." 
Wrangham  III,  249. 


58 


LATIN   HYMNS 


DIES  IRAE 

(Thomas  of  Celano) 

"This  marvelous  hymn  is  the  acknowledged  masterpiece  of  Latin 
poetry,  and  the  most  sublime  of  all  uninspired  hymns.  .  .  .  The 
secret  of  its  irresistible  power  lies  in  the  awful  grandeur  of  the  theme, 
the  intense  earnestness  and  pathos  of  the  poet,  the  simple  majesty  and 
solemn  music  of  its  language,  the  stately  meter,  the  triple  rhyme,  and 
the  vowel  assonances,  chosen  in  striking  adaptation  to  the  sense — all 
combining  to  produce  an  overwhelming  effect,  as  if  we  heard  the  final 
crash  of  the  universe,  the  commotion  of  the  opening  graves,  the 
trumpet  of  the  archangel  summoning  the  quick  and  the  dead,  and  saw 
the  king  of  'tremendous  majesty'  seated  on  the  throne  of  justice  and 
mercy,  and  ready  to  dispense  everlasting  life  or  everlasting  woe." — 
Schaff,  p.  373. 

The  hymn  was  most  probably  written  by  Thomas  of  Celano,  a 
Franciscan  of  the  thirteenth  century,  the  friend  and  biographer  of  St. 
Francis.  The  recent  discovery  of  a  manuscript  copy  in  the  Biblioteca 
Nazionale  at  Naples,  which  is  thought  to  date  back  to  1253,  and  of 
another  copy  of  somewhat  earlier  date,  renders  the  Franciscan  author- 
ship all  the  more  probable.  English  translations  are  innumerable. 
Julian  gives  the  first  lines  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-two.  Cf.  A.  E.  R. 
II,  247. 

Meter:     Trochaic  dimeter,  accentual. 


Dies  irae,  dies  ilia 
Solvet  saeclum  in  f  avilla, 
Teste  David  cum  Sibylla. 

Notes— 1.  Etc.  "That  day  is 
a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  tribula- 
tion and  distress,  a  day  of  calam- 
ity and  misery,  a  day  of  darkness 
and  obscurity,  a  day  of  clouds  and 
whirlwinds,  a  day  of  the  trumpet 
and  alarm."     Sophonias  I,  15  seq. 

Dr.  Henry  in  A.  E.  R.,  loc.  c, 
translates : 

O  that  day  of  wrath  undying. 
When  the  earth,  in  ashes  lying, 
Shall  prove  all  the  prophesying! 

Justice  O'Hagan  in  the  Irish 
Monthly  II,  136  (see  also  Annus 
Sanctus  p.  6)    renders : 


Quantus  tremor  est  futurus, 
5  Quando  judex  est  venturus, 
Cuncta  stricte  discussurus ! 

Day  of  wrath,  that  day  whose 
knelling 

Gives  to  flame  this  earthly 
dwelling ; 

Psalm  and  Sibyl  thus  foretell- 
ing. 

2.  'Shall  melt  away  the  world 
in  glowing  ashes.'  The  conflagra- 
tion, as  March  well  says,  is  repre- 
sented as  still  at  white  heat. 

3.  teste  David:  The  reference 
is  probably  to  Ps.  XCV,  13; 
XCVI,  3;  CI,  27;  though  the  de- 
struction of  the  world  by  fire  is 
much  more  clearly  foretold  by  St. 


I 


LATIN    HYMNS 


59 


Tuba,  mirum  spargens  sonum 
Per  sepulchra  regionum, 
Coget  omnes  ante  thronum.     20 

10  Mors  stupebit  et  natura, 
Cum  resurget  creatura 
Judicanti  responsura. 


Liber  scriptus  proferetur, 
In  quo  totum  continetur, 
15  Unde  mundus  judicetur. 

Judex  ergo  cum  sedebit, 
Quidquid  latet  apparebit, 
Nil  inultum  remanebit. 


25 


Quid  sum  miser  tunc  dic- 

turus, 
Quern  patronum  rogaturus, 
Cum  vix  Justus  sit  securus  : 

Rex  tremendae  majestatis, 
Qui  salvandos  salvas  gratis. 
Salva  me,  f ons  pietatis. 

Recordare,  Jesu  pie, 
Quod  sum  causa  tuae  viae ; 
Ne  me  perdas  ilia  die. 


Quaerens  me  sedisti  lassus, 
Redemisti  crucem  passus : 
30  Tantus  labor  non  sit  cassus 


Peter,  II  Peter  3,  10,  than  by  the 
Psalmist.  Indeed,  some  texts  have 
teste  Petro. 

Sibylla:  There  Is  no  reference 
he^'e  to  the  Sibylline  books  so 
famous  in  early  Roman  history, 
but  to  a  collection  of  Sibylline 
oracles  in  twelve  books  dating 
from  the  middle  of  the  second 
century  B.  C.  to  the  fifth  century 
A.  D,  written  in  Greek  hexame- 
ters and  containing  many  pre- 
tended prophecies.  They  were  re- 
garded by  many  of  the  early 
Christians  as  bearing  testimony  to 
some  of  the  truths  of  revelation. 
While  these  oracles  as  such  merit 
little  credence,  there  is  in  itself 
nothing  absurd  in  the  belief  that 
there  existed  among  the  pagans 
scattered  remnants  of  truth  re- 
vealed in  the  beginning  and 
handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation,  however  much  dis- 
torted such  truth  was  bound  to 
become  in  the  course  of  time.  The 


pagan  world  was  groping  in  the 
dark,  yearning  for  deliverance  and 
light ;  and  from  this  point  of 
view,  there  is  a  meaning  in  the 
phrase  that  conveys  a  real  truth, 
independent  of  the  genuineness  of 
the  oracular  books.  It  must  not 
be  thought  that  the  retention  of 
the  expression  in  a  liturgical 
hymn  implies  any  sanction  of  the 
Sibylline  oracles  on  the  part  of 
the  Church. 

4-6.     Cf.  Apoc.  VI,  12-17. 

7.  "For  the  trumpet  shall 
sound."     I  Cor.  XV,  52. 

8.  sepulchra  regionum:  the 
whole  world  is  a  tomb. 

13.     Cf.  Apoc.  XX,  12. 
17.     Cf.  Matth.  X,  26. 
21.     Cf.  I  Peter  IV,  18. 

28.  Cf.  John  IV,  6.  "It  is  said 
that  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  would 
repeat  this  stanza  in  Latin  and 
burst  into  floods  of  tears." — 
March. 


60 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Juste  judex  ultionis, 
Donum  fac  remissionis, 
Ante  diem  rationis. 

Ingemisco  tamquam  reus, 
35  Culpa  rubet  vultrus  meus : 
Supplicanti  parce,  Deus. 

Qui  Mariam  absolvisti, 
Et  latronem  exaudisti, 
Mihi  quoque  spem  dedisti. 


Inter  oves  locum  praesta, 
Et  ab  haedis  me  sequestra, 
45  Statuens  in  parte  dextra. 

Confutatis  maledictis, 
Flammis  acribus  addictis, 
Voca  me  cum  benedictis. 

Oro  supplex  et  acclinis, 
50  Cor  contritum  quasi  cinis, 
Gere  curam  mei  finis. 


40  Preces  meae  non  sunt  dignae, 
Sed  tu  bonus  fac  benigne 
Ne  perenni  cremer  igne. 


Lacrimosa  dies  ilia, 
Qua  resurget  ex  favilla 
Judicandus  homo  reus : 


55  Huic  ergo  parce,  Deus. 
Pie  Jesu  Domine, 
Dona  eis  requiem.    Amen. 


43-45.  "And  he  shall  set  the 
sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the 
goats  on  his  left."  Matth.  XXV, 
33. 

46.  "Depart  from  me,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire." 
id.  41. 


48.  "Come  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father."    id.  34. 

52-58.  These  lines  were  added 
to  the  hymn  later;  they  adapt  it 
to  its  present  purpose  in  the  Mass. 

55.  huic:  sc  mihi;  others  refer 
it  to  homo  reus,  'guilty  man'. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


61 


STAB AT  MATER  DOLOROSA 


The  hymn  was  most  probably  written  by  Jacopone  da  Todi  (or  de 
Benedictis),  a  Francisan  lay-brother  of  the  thirteenth  century.  It  is 
styled  by  Schaff  "the  most  pathetic,  as  the  Dies  Irae  is  the  most  sub- 
lime, hymn  of  the  Middle  Ages."  "The  vividness  with  which  it  pictures 
the  weeping  mother  at  the  Cross,  its  tenderness,  its  beauty  of  rhythm, 
its  melodious  double  rhymes  almost  defying  reproduction  in  another 
language,  and  its  impressiveness  when  sung  either  to  the  fine  plain 
song  melody  or  in  the  noble  compositions  which  many  of  the  great 
masters  of  music  have  set  to  it,  go  far  to  justify  the  place  it  holds,  and 
has  long  held,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church."     Julian,  p.  1081. 


Meter 
cataletic. 


Trochaic     dimeter,     accentual.      Every     third     verse     is 


Stabat  Mater  dolorosa 
Juxta  crucem  lacrimosa, 

Dum  pendebat  Filius, 
Cujus  animam  gementem, 
5  Contristatam  et  dolentem 

Pertransivit  gladius. 


Quis  est  homo,  qui  non  fleret, 
Matrem  Christi  si  videret, 
15       In  tanto  supplicio  ? 

Quis  non  posset  contristari, 
Piam  Matrem  contemplari 
Dolentem  cum  Filio  ? 


O  quam  tristis  et  afflicta 
Fuit  ilia  benedicta 

Mater  Unigeniti, 
10  Quae  maerebat  et  dolebat 
Pia  Mater,  dum  videbat 

Nati  poenas  incliti. 


Pro  peccatis  suae  gentis 
20  Vidit  Jesum  in  tormentis 

Et  flagellis  subditum ; 
Vidit  suum  dulcem  Natum 
Morientem,  desolatum, 

Dum  emisit  spiritum. 


Notes — 1.  stabat:  "Now  there 
stood  by  the  cross  of  Jesus  his 
mother."     John  XIX,  25. 

4.    cujus:  sc.  matris. 

6.    "And  thy  own  soul  a  sword 


of  sorrow  shall  pierce."    Luke  II, 
35. 

10,  11.  maerebat,  dolebat,  vi- 
debat: the  repeated  rhyme  makes 
the  lines  very  pathetic. 


62 


LATIN    HYMNS 


25  Eja  Mater,  fons  amor  is ! 
Me  sentire  vim  doloris 

Fac,  ut  tecum  lugeam ;       45 
Fac,  ut  ardeat  cor  meum 
In  amando  Christum  Deum, 

30      Ut  sibi  complaceam. 


Sancta  Mater,  istud  agas, 
Crucifixi  fige  plagas 

Cordi  meo  valide ; 
Tui  Nati  vulnerati, 
35  Tam  dignati  pro  me  pati, 

Poenas  mecum  divide. 

Fac  me  vere  tecum  flere, 
Crucifixo  condolere, 

Donee  ego  vixero ; 
40  Juxta  crucem  tecum  stare, 
Te  libenter  sociare 

In  planctu  desidero. 


Virgo  virginum  praeclara, 
Mihi  jam  non  sis  amara, 

Fac  me  tecum  plangere ; 
Fac  ut  portem  Christi  mor- 
tem, 
Passionis  fac  consortem 

Ft  plagas  recolere. 

Fac  me  plagis  vulnerari, 
50  Cruce  hac  inebriari, 

Et  eruore  Filii ; 
Flammis  ne  urar  succensus, 
Per  te,  Virgo,  sim  def  ensus 

In  die  judicii. 

55  Christe,  cum  sit  hinc  exire, 
Da  per  Matrem  me  venire 

Ad  palmam  victoriae. 
Quando  corpus  morietur, 
Fac,  ut  animae  donetur 

60       Paradisi  gloria. 


30.  sibi:  sc.  Christo. 

31.  istud  agas:  'may  you  effect 
this'. 

35.  tam:  best  taken  with  pati; 


'deigning  to  suffer  so   (much). 

47,  48.   Supply  me  in  both  lines; 
recolere:  'remember'. 


II 


LATIN    HYMNS 


63 


PANGE  LINGUA 

(St.  Thomas) 

The  four  following  hymns  are  by  St.  Thomas  (1227-1274).  They 
combine  in  a  marvelous  degree  the  clear-cut  language  of  dogma  with 
the  sweetness  and  melody  of  poetry.  Of  the  Pange  Lingua  Dr.  Neale 
(Anglican)  says  that  it  contests  the  second  place  among  the  hymns  of 
the  Western  Church  with  the  Vexilla  Regis,  the  Stahat  Mater,  the  Jesu 
Dulcis  Memoria,  the  Ad  Regias  Agni  Dapes,  and  one  or  two  others, 
leaving  the  Dies  Irae  in  its  unapproachable  glory.     Julian,  p.  879. 

While  the  meaning  of  these  beautiful  hymns  is  perfectly  clear,  the 
task  of  translating  them  into  fitting  English  involves  difficulties  that 
have  proved  well-nigh  insuperable  even  in  the  hands  of  expert  trans- 
lators. This  is  due  partly  to  the  precise  theological  wording,  partly 
to  their  deeply  devotional  tone  and  the  rhythm  and  assonance  of  the 
original  Latin.  The  present  hymn,  in  particular,  has,  in  the  words  of 
Neale,  become  "a  bow  of  Ulysses  to  translators."  See  the  scholarly 
article  in  the  A.  E.  R.  II,  200,  by  Dr.  Henry,  who  also  gives  a  transla- 
tion of  his  own. 

Meter:  Trochaic  dimeter,  accentual.  Every  second  verse  is 
catalectic. 


Pange,  lingua,  gloriosi 
Corporis  mysterium, 

Sanguinisque  pretiosi, 
Quern  in  mundi  pretium, 
5  Fructus  ventris  generosi, 
Rex  effudit  gentium. 


10 


Nobis  datus,  nobis  natus, 
Ex  intacta  Virgine, 

Et  in  mundo  conversatus, 
Sparso  verbi  semine, 

Sui  moras  incolatus 
Miro  clausit  ordine. 


Notes — 1.  pange:  See  note 
on  line  1  of  the  Pange,  lingua,  by 
Fortunatus.  St.  Thomas  was  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  the  great 
hymns  composed  before  his  time, 
and  a  number  of  his  phrases  in 
these  hymns  can  be  traced  to  his 
predecessors,  particularly  to  Adam 
of  St.  Victor. 

4.    in  mundi  pretium:  'for  the 


ransom  of  the  world',  i.  e.  of  men. 

5.  fructus:  in  apposition  to 
rex,  line  6.  generosi:  'noble';  the 
classical  meaning  of  the  word. 

9-12. 
And  amongst  mankind  conversing 

Seeds  of  heavenly  truth  to  sow, 
He  at  length  in  wondrous  order, 

Closed  His  sojourn  here  below. 

— Aylward. 


64 


LATIN    HYMNS 


In  supremae  nocte  coenae,       25  Tantum  ergo  Sacramentum 
Recumbens  cum  f  ratribus.  Veneremur  cernui : 


Recumbens  cum  f  ratribus, 
15  Observata  lege  plene 
Cibis  in  legalibus, 
Cibum  turbae  duodenae 
Se  dat  suis  manibus. 


Veneremur  cernui 
Et  antiquum  documentum 

Novo  cedat  ritui : 
Praestet  fides  supplementum 
30      Sensuum  defectui ! 


Verbum  caro  panem  verum 
20       Verbo  carnem  efficit, 
FJtque  sanguis  Christi 
merum ; 
Et  si  sensus  deficit, 
Ad  firmandum  cor  sincerum 
Sola  fides  sufficit. 


Genitori,  Genitoque 

Laus  et  jubilatio ! 
Salus,  honor,  virtus  quoque 

Sit  et  benedictio ! 
35  Procedenti  ab  utroque 

Compar  sit  laudatio ! 


15.  lege:  the  directions  pre- 
scribed by  the  law  of  Moses  for 
the  eating  of  the  Paschal  Lamb. 

17.  cibum:  Fred.  Ace.  after 
dat,  line  18. 

19,  20.  'The  Word  made  flesh 
(Verbum  caro)  by  a  word  (verbo) 


converts  true  bread  into  His  flesh.' 
21.     merum  =^  vinum,     Subjecll 
Nomin. 

26.  cernui:   'bowed  down'   in 
reverence. 

27.  documentum:    *rite';    the 
Passover  is  meant. 


LATIN   HYMNS 


65 


LAUDA  SION 

(St.  Thomas) 

St.  Thomas,  at  the  request  of  Pope  Urban  IV,  drew  up  in  1263  the 
Office  and  the  Mass  for  the  Festival  of  Corpus  Christi.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  wrote  the  Lauda  Sion,  the  Pange  Lingua  and  the  Verbum 
Supernum.  The  present  hymn  forms  the  Sequence  of  the  Mass  for 
Corpus  Christi.    Cf.  A.  E.  R.  IV,  450. 

Meter:  Trochaic  dimeter,  accentual.  Every  third  verse  is  cata- 
lectic.  This  verse  scheme  was  a  favorite  with  Adam  of  St.  Victor,  the 
prince  of  hymnodists.     It  is  particularly  suited  to  festive  themes. 


Lauda,  Sion,  Salvatorem, 
Lauda  ducem  et  pastorem 

In  hymnis  et  canticis.  15 

Quantum  potes,  tantum  aude : 
5  Quia  major  omni  laude, 

Nee  laudare  sufficis. 


Laudis  thema  specialis, 
Panis  vivus  et  vitalis 
Hodie  proponitur. 
10  Quem  in  sacrae  mensa 
cenae, 
Turbae  f  ratrum  duodenae 
Datum  non  ambigitur. 


20 


Sit  laus  plena,  sit  sonora. 
Sit  jucunda,  sit  decora 

Mentis  jubilatio. 
Dies  enim  solemnis  agitur, 
In  qua  mensae  prima 
recolitur 

Hujus  institutio. 

In  hac  mensa  novi  Regis, 
Novum  Pascha  novae  legis 

Phase  vetus  terminat. 
Vetustatem  novitas, 
Umbram  f ugat  Veritas, 

Noctem  lux  eliminat. 


Notes — 1.  Sion:  i.  e.  the 
Church. 

7.    thema:  'theme',  'subject'. 

10.  quem  refers  to  panis, 
line  8. 

12.    datum:  supply  esse. 

21.  phase  vetus:  'the  ancient 
Paschal  rite'.  The  Phase  (transi- 
tus,  Passover)  was  the  celebration 
enjoined  by  God  upon  the  Jews  in 
memory  of  their  deliverance  from 


the  destroying  Angel,  who  slew 
all  the  first-born  of  the  Egyptians. 
Read  Exodus  c.  XII. 

22-24.  The  ancient  Paschal  rite 
is  supplanted  by  the  new,  the 
shadow  by  the  reality,  darkness  by 
light. 

26.     expressit:  'has  enjoined'. 

36.  praeter:  the  dogmas  of 
faith  are  not  against  nature,  but 
go  'beyond'  it. 


66 


LATIN    HYMNS 


25  Quod  in  cena  Christus 
gessit, 
Faciendum  hoc  expressit 

In  sui  memoriam. 
Docti  sacris  institutis, 
Panem,  vinum  in  salutis 
30       Consecramus  hostiam. 

Dogma  datur  Christianis, 
Quod  in  carnem  transit  panis,-;. 

Et  vinum  in  sanguinem. 
Quod  non  capis,  quod  non 
vides, 
35  Animosa  firmat  fides, 

Praeter  rerum  ordinem. 

Sub  diversis  speciebus, 
Signis  tantum  et  non  rebus, 

Latent  res  eximiae. 
40  Caro  cibus,sanguis  potus, 
Manet  tamen  Christus  totus 

Sub  utraque  specie. 

A  sumente  non  concisus, 
Non  confractus,  non  divisus, 
45       Integer  accipitur : 

Sumit  unus,  sumunt  mille,       70 


37,  38.  the  species,  called  signa 
in  line  38,  are  the  appearances,  or, 
to  use  a  terminology  of  the 
schools,  'accidents,'  as  opposed  to 
the  res,  substantia,  'the  reality,' 
'the  substance.' 

40.     Supply  est,  or  fit. 

48.     sumptus:  sc.  Christus. 

52.  mors:  "Therefore  whoso- 
ever shall  eat  this  bread,  or  drink 
the  chalice  of  the  Lord  unwor- 
thily, shall  be  guilty  of  the  body 


Quantum  isti,  tantum  ille, 
Nec  sumptus  consumitur. 

Sumunt  boni,  sumunt  maH, 
50  Sorte  tamen  inaequali, 

Vitae,  vel  interitus : 
Mors  est  maUs,  vita  bonis : 
Vide  paris  sumptionis 

Quam  sit  dispar  exitus ! 

Fracto  demum  Sacramento 
Ne  vacilles,  sed  memento 
Tantum  esse  sub  fragment©, 

Quantum  toto  tegitur. 
Nulla  rei  fit  scissura, 
60  Signi  tantum  fit  f  ractura, 
Qua  nec  status,  nec  statura 

Signati  minuitur. 

Ecce  panis  Angelorum, 
Factus  cibus  viatorum : 
65  Vere  panis  filiorum, 

Non  mittendus  canibus. 
In  figuris  praesignatur, 
Cum  Isaac  immolatur  ; 
Agnus  Paschae  deputatur, 

Datur  manna  patribus. 


and  of  the  blood  of  the  Lord.  But 
let  a  man  prove  himself,"  etc.  I 
Cor.  XI,  27  seq. 

58.  toto  tegitur:  'is  contained 
in  the  whole.'  Christ  is  present 
entire  in  the  smallest  fragment  of 
the  consecrated  host. 

59.  rei;  'of  the  substance.' 

62.  signati:  Christ  Jesus,  the 
object  signified,  as  distinguished 
from  the  signuni,  the  sign,  line  60. 

63.  panis    angelorum:    "man 


LATIN    HYMNS 


67 


75 


Bone  pastor,  panis  vere, 
Jesu,  nostri  miserere : 
Tu  nos  pasce,  nos  tuere, 
Tu  nos  bona  f  ac  videre 
In  terra  viventium. 


80 


Tu  qui  cuncta  scis  et  vales, 
Qui  nos  pascis  hie  mortales, 
Tuos  ibi  commensales, 
Coheredes  et  sodales 
Fac  sanctorum  civium. 


ate  the  bread  of  angels."  Ps. 
LXXVII,  25 ;  the  manna  is  meant ; 
cf.  also  John  VI,  31. 

64.  viatorum:     Cf.  our  Viat- 
icum,' provisions  for  a  journey. 

65,  66.     "It  is  not  good  to  take 
the  bread  of  the  children,  and  to 


cast  it  to  the  dogs."  Matth. 
XV,  26. 

68.     Cf.  Genesis  XXII. 

70.     Cf.  Exodus  XVI. 

78.  Commensales  (cum  and 
mensa)  :  'table  companions.' 


68 


LATIN    HYMNS 


VERBUM  SUPERNUM 

(St.  Thomas) 
Meter:     Iambic  dimeter,  accentual. 

Verbum  supernum  prodiens,         Se  nascens  dedit  socium, 


Nee  Patris  linquens  dex- 

teram, 
Ad  opus  suum  exiens, 
Venit  ad  vitae  vesperam. 

5  In  mortem  a  discipulo 
Suis  tradendus  aemulis, 
Prius  in  vitae  f  erculo 
Se  tradidit  discipulis. 

Quibus  sub  bina  specie 
10  Carnem  dedit  et  sanguinem, 
Ut  duplicis  substantiae 
Totum  cibaret  hominem. 


Convescens  in  edulium, 
15  Se  moriens  in  pretium, 
Se  regnans  dat  in  prae- 
mium. 

O  salutaris  hostia, 
Quae  caeli  pandis  ostium, 
Bella  premunt  hostilia, 
20  Da  robur,  f  er  auxilium. 

Uni  Trinoque  Domino 
Sit  sempiterna  gloria : 
Qui  vitam  sine  termino 
Nobis  donet  in  patria. 


Notes— 3,  4.  Cf.  "Man  shall 
go  forth  to  his  work  and  to  his 
labor  until  the  evening."  Ps. 
cm,  22. 

6.  aemulis:  'enemies/ 

7.  'at  the  table  of  life.' 

«  13-16.  These  wonderful  lines 
express  in  concise  lyric  form  the 
whole    economy    of    redemption. 


Aylward  in  Orby  Shipley's  Annus 
Sancttis  translates : 
Our  fellow,  in  the  manger  lying; 
Our    food   within    the    banquet 


Ou 


room; 

ransom, 
dying; 
Our   prize, 
home. 


in   His  hour  of 


in   His   own  kingly 


LATIN  HYMNS  69 


ADORO  TE  DEVOTE 

(St.  Thomas) 

Meter:     Trochaic    trimeter    catalectic.     The    first    verse    has    an 
anacrusis. 

Adoro  te  devote,  latens  Deltas, 
Quae  sub  his  figuris  vere  latitas. 
Tibi  se  cor  meum  totum  subjicit, 
Quia  te  contemplans  totum  deficit. 

5     Visus,  tactus,  gustus,  in  te  fallitur, 
Sed  auditu  solo  tuto  creditur : 
Credo  quidquid  dixit  Dei  Filius ;  » 

Nil  hoc  verbo  veritatis  verius. 

In  cruce  latebat  sola  Deltas, 
10     At  hlc  latet  slmul  et  humanltas, 

Ambo  tamen  credens  atque  confitens, 
Peto  quod  petlvlt  latro  paenltens. 

Plagas  slcut  Thomas  non  Intueor, 
Deum  tamen  meum  te  confiteor, 
15     Fac  me  tlbl  semper  magls  credere, 
In  te  spem  habere,  te  dlllgere. 

O  memorlale  mortis  Domini, 
Panls  vlvus,  vltam  praestans  homlnl, 
Praesta  meae  mentl  de  te  vlvere, 
20    Et  te  1111  semper  dulce  sapere. 

Notes — 1.     The  line  is  a  true  12.      latro    paenitens:      "Lord 

keynote :  it  brings  out  the  spirit  of  remember    me    when    thou    shalt 

the   whole  poem — profound   faith  come   into    thy   kingdom."     Luke 

and  tender  devotion.  XXIII,  42. 

2.     figuris:  'appearances,*  i.  e.  13.     Cf.  John  XX,  26  seq. 

of  the  bread  and  wine.  18.     panis   vivus   etc. :     "I   am 

4.     totum    deficit:    'is    wholly  the  living  bread  which  came  down 

lost'  in  the  thought  of  Thee.  from  heaven.     If  any  man  eat  of 


70 


LATIN    HYMNS 


Pie  pelicane,  Jesu  Domine, 
Me  immundum  munda  tuo  sanguine, 
Cujus  una  stilla  salvum  facer e 
Totum  mundum  quit  ab  omni  scelere. 

25     Jesu,  quern  velatum  nunc  aspicio, 
Oro  fiat  illud  quod  tarn  sitio, 
Ut  te  revelata  cernens  facie 
Visu  sim  beatus  tuae  gloriae. 


this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever; 
and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is 
my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world." 
John  VI,  51,  52. 

20.  et  te  illi  (i.  e.  menti) : 
*And  grant  her  ever  sweetly  to 
cherish  Thee,'  .  .  .  dulce  is 
used  adverbially.  Readers  of  Hor- 


ace will  recollect  dulce  ridentem, 
Odes  I,  22,  23. 

21.  pelicane:  the  pelican  was 
regarded  as  a  type  of  Christ,  ow- 
ing to  the  fact  that  she  was  sup- 
posed to  nourish  her  young,  in 
case  of  need,  with  her  own  blood. 


LATIN    HYMNS  71 


O  DEUS  EGO  AMO  TE 

(St.  Francis  Xavier) 

Recent  investigations  make  it  fairly  certain  that  the  original  of 
this  poem  was  a  Spanish  or  Portuguese  sonnet,  wrtten  by  St.  Francis 
Xavier  in  1546.  There  are  several  Latin  versions  of  it.  The  one  here 
given  seems  to  have  appeared  first  in  the  Caeleste  Palmetum, 
Cologne,  1669, 

Meter :     Iambic  dimeter,  accentual. 

O  Deus  ego  amo  te,  Innumeros  dolores, 

Nee  amo  te  ut  salves  me,      10  Sudores  et  angores, 
Aut  quia  non  amantes  te  ^^  mortem,  et  haec  propter 


me, 
Ac  pro  me  peccatore ! 


Aeterno  punis  igne. 

5  Tu,  tu,  mi  Jesu,  totum  me  ^      .   . 

Cur  igitur  non  amem  te, 

Amplexus  es  in  cruce,  ^  Jesu  amantissime, 

Tulisti  clavos,  lanceam,       15  ^on,  ut  in  caelo  salves  me, 
Multamque  ignominiam,  Aut  ne  aeternum  damnes  me ; 

Nee  praemii  uUius  spe, 
Sed  sicut  tu  amasti  me 
Sic  amo  et  amabo  te 
20  Solum  quia  rex  meus  es, 
Et  solum  quia  Deus  es. 


72  LATIN    HYMNS 


O  ESCA  VIATORUM 

"The  hymn  was  probably  composed  by  some  German  Jesuit  o£  the 
seventeenth  century,  though  it  has  been  by  some  ascribed  to  St.  Thomas 
of  Aquino." — JuUan,  p.  828.  It  has  not  been  traced  farther  back  than 
1661. 

Meter:     Iambic,  accentual. 


O  esca  viatorum,  O  lympha,  fons  amoris, 

O  panis  angelorum,  Qui  puro  Salvatoris 

O  manna  caelitum !  E  corde  profluis  ! 

Esurientes  ciba,  10  Te  sitientes  pota ; 

5  Dulcedine  non  priva  Haec  sola  nostra  vota ; 

Cor  te  quaerentium.  His  una  sufficis. 

O  Jesu,  tuum  vultum, 
Quern  colimus  occultum 
15       Sub  panis  specie, 
Fac  ut  remoto  velo, 
Aperta  nos  in  caelo 
Cernamus  acie. 


Notes — 4.    ciba:    Imperative  of  naturally  be  hoc,  but  it  is  attracted 

cibare.     priva  in  the  next  line  is  into  the  number  of  vota. 

also  Imper.  18.     acie:  'sight'. 

11.     haec:  the  pronoun  would 


LATIN    HYMNS 


73 


PLAUDITE  CAELI 

The  hymn  is  regarded  by  Mearns  (Diet,  of  Hymnol.,  p.  1688)  as 
the  composition  of  a  Jesuit  of  the  seventeenth  century.  The  theme  is 
the  resurrection  of  Christ. 


Plaudite  caeli, 
Rideat  aether, 
Summus  et  imus 
Gaudeat  orbis ! 
5  Transivit  atrae 
Turba  procellae : 
Subiit  almae 
Gloria  palmae. 


Currite  plenis, 
Carmina,  venis. 
Fundite  laetum, 
20  Barbita  metrum ; 
Namque  revixit, 
Sicuti  dixit, 
Pius  illaesus 
Funere  Jesus. 


Surgite  verni, 
10  Surgite  flores, 
Germina  pictis 
Surgite  campis, 
Teneris  mixtae 
Violis  rosae, 
15  Candida  sparsis 
Lilia  calthis. 


25  Plaudite  montes, 
Ludite  f  ontes ; 
Resonent  valles, 
Repetunt  colles : 
"lo  revixit, 

30  Sicuti  dixit, 
Pius  illaesus 
Funere  Jesus." 


Notes  3,  4.  'The  highest  and 
lowest  parts  of  the  earth' ;  i.  e. 
earth  and  sky. 

7,  8.  subiit,  etc. :  'the  glory  of 
the  beautiful  palm  has  appeared' ; 
a  sign  of  spring  and  a  symbol  of 
victory. 


11,  12.  pictis  campis:  Abl.  of 
place  'where',  or  Dat. 

16.  calthis :  caltha,  a  flower, 
probably  the  marigold. 

20.     barbita:   'lutes' 

24.     funere :  'from  the  grave'. 


74 


LATIN    HYMNS 


ECQUIS  BINAS 

I  have  been  unable  to  find  any  definite  clue  to  the  authorship  of 
this  little  gem  of  a  hymn.  Julian  makes  no  mention  of  the  poem;  nor 
is  it  found  in  many  collections.  The  text  here  given  is  taken  from  a 
Hymnarium,  published  in  Halle,  Germany,  in  1861,  in  which  it  is  set 
down  as  the  composition  of  some  Jesuit. 

The  theme  is  the  Passion  of  Christ,  the  poet  expressing  himself  in 
loving  aspirations  addressed  to  the  suffering  Savior. 

Meter :  Trochaic  dimeter,  accentual ;  every  other  verse  is  cata- 
lectic. 


Ecquis  binas  columbinas 

Alas  dabit  animae  ? 
Ut  in  almam  crucis  palman 

Evolet  citissime, 
5  In  qua  Jesus  totus  laesus 

Orbis  desiderium, 
Et  immensus  est  suspensus, 

Factus  improperium ! 

O  cor,  scande ;  Jesu,  pande 
10       Caritatis  viscera, 
Et  profunde  me  reconde 

Intra  sacra  vulnera ; 
In  superna  me  caverna 
Colloca  maceriae ; 
15  Hie  viventi,  quiescenti 
Finis  est  miseriae ! 

O  mi  Deus,  amor  meus  ! 
Tune  pro  me  pateris  ? 
Proque  indigno,  crucis  Hgno, 
20       Jesu,  me,  suffigeris  ? 

Notes — 8.  improperium:  're- 
proach'. 

13,  14.  in  .  .  .  caverna 
maceriae:  "Arise,  my  love,  my 
beautiful  one,  and  come:  my  dove, 
in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the 
hollow  places  of  the  wall  (caverna 


Pro  latrone,  Jesu  bone, 
Tu  in  crucem  tolleris  ? 

Pro  peccatis  meis  gratis. 
Vita  mea,  moreris  ? 

25  Non  sum  tanti,  Jesu,  quanti 
Amor  tuus  aestimat ; 
Heu  !  cur  ego  vitam  dego. 
Si  cor  te  non  redamat  ? 
Benedictus  sit  invictus 
30       Amor  vincens  omnia ; 
Amor  fortis,  tela  mortis 
Reputans  ut  somnia. 

Iste  fecit,  et  refecit 
Amor,  Jesu,  perditum  ; 
35  O  insignis,  Amor,  ignis, 
Cor  accende  f  rigidum ! 
O  f ac  vere  cor  ardere, 

Fac  me  te  diligere. 
Da  conjungi,  da  defungi 
40       Tecum,  Jesu,  et  vivere ! 

maceriae),  show  me  thy  face,  let 
thy  voice  sound  in  my  cars."  Can- 
ticle II,  13,  14. 

33.  fecit,  et  refecit:  created 
man  and  redeemed  him  when  he 
had  fallen. 


LATIN    HYMNS 


75 


AD  QUEM  DIU  SUSPIRAVI 

"This  fine  hymn  was  apparently  written  in  Germany  between  1800 
and  1850.  It  has  been  ascribed  to  Prince  Alexander  Hohenlohc,  but 
we  have  been  unable  to  trace  it  definitely  to  him." — Mearns  in  Julian's 
Diet,  of  Hymnol.,  p.  1600.  The  hymn  is  a  prayer  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving after  holy  Communion. 

Meter :     Trochaic,  accentual. 

25  Felix  dies,  felix  hora, 


Ad  quern  diu  suspiravi, 

Jesum  tandem  habeo. 
Hunc  amplector,  quern  optavi, 

Quern  optavi  teneo. 
5  Omnes  meae  exsultate 

Facultates  animae,  30 

Exsultate,  triumphate, 

Et  ingresso  plaudite. 


Qua  me,  Jesu,  visitas, 
Pulchra  nimis  et  decora 

Lux,  ad  me  quae  properas. 
Qui  te  tenet  habet  satis, 

Quia,  qui  te  possidet, 
Uberem  f  elicitatis 

Verae  f ontem  obtinet. 


Tristis  eram  et  abjectus, 
10       Eram  sine  gaudio. 
Quia  aberat  dilectus, 

Quem  prae  cunctis  diligo. 
Sed  ut  venit  et  intravit 
Animae  tugurium, 
ISO  quam  dulce  permeavit 
Meum  cor  solatium ! 

Non  sic  terras  umbris  tectas 
Gratus  sol  illuminat, 

Non  sic  aestibus  dejectas 
20       Nimbus  herbas  recreat, 

Sicut  animam  languentem 
Refocillat  Dominus, 

Hanc  tristantem  et  torpentem 
Novis  donat  viribus. 


Quis  non  tuam  admiretur 
Bonitatem,  Domine, 
35  Si  quod  facis  meditetur 
Serio  examine ! 
Ad  te  ruo,  ad  me  ruis, 
Et  me  sinis  protinus 
Immiscere  meos  tuis 
40      Amplexus  amplexibus. 


Notes — 8.     ingresso:     Dat 
the  participle;   supply  Jesu. 
19,  20.   aestibus  dejectas   . 


of 


Nihil  eram,  me  creasti 

Ex  obscuro  nihilo, 
Divinaeque  me  donasti 

Rationis  radio. 
45  Pro  me  nasci  voluisti 

In  deserto  stabulo, 
Et  finire  morte  tristi 

Vitam  in  patibulo. 

herbas:  'grass  wilted  by  the  sum- 
mer heat'. 

22.     refocillat:  'revives';  from 
re  and  focus  (fireplace). 


76 


LATIN  HYMNS 


Praeter  dona  quibus  ditas 
50       Ale  diebus  singulis, 
Dapes  hodie  mellitas 
Datis  addis  gratiis. 
O  voluptas  cordis  mei, 
Jesu  dilectissime ! 
55  In  me  regna,  Fili  Dei, 
Regna,  regna  libere. 

In  me  proprium  amorem 
Tam  potenter  eneces, 

Ut  te  amem  et  adorem 
60       Solum,  sicut  dignus  es ; 

In  me  tolle  quod  est  puris 
Grave  tuis  oculis, 

Ut  sic  artius  Venturis 
Tibi  jungar  saeculis. 


65  Oriente  sole  mane, 
Occidente  vespera. 
Bone  Jesu,  mecum  mane, 
Mecum  semper  habita. 
Nil  abs  te,  nee  mors  nee  vita, 
70       Nil  abs  te  me  separet  ; 
Unio  sit  infinita, 

Quam  vis  nulla  terminet ! 

Canam,  donee  respirabo, 
Gratiarum  cantica ; 
75  Millies  haec  iterabo 
In  caelesti  patria, 
Quando  te,  remoto  velo, 

Sicut  es,  aspiciam 
Et  cum  angelis  in  caelo 
80       In  aeternum  diligam. 


58.  eneces:  Optative  Subj., 
from  eneco   (destroy  utterly). 

63,  64.  Venturis  saeculis=m 
futurwn. 


65.     mane:  'in  the  morning'. 
73.    donee  respirabo:  'as  long 
as  I  shall  live'. 


i 


LATIN    HYMNS  17 


APPENDIX 

The  Revision  of  the  Hymns  of  the  Breviary  Under  Urban  VIII. 

It  is  a  v^ell  known  fact  that  the  Humanists  in  their  extravagant 
admiration  for  classical  forms  had  little  regard,  to  put  it  mildly,  for 
the  splendid  Christian  poetry  that  had  seen  its  golden  age  in  the  twelfth 
and  thirteenth  centuries  and  was  now  on  the  decline.  Indeed,  the 
classical  revival  was  the  death  knell  of  Latin  hymnody.  But  this  was 
not  all.  Radical  changes  were  introduced  in  the  existing  hymns  of  the 
Church.  The  ancient  hymns  of  the  breviary,  often  irregular  in  their 
prosody,  were  to  don  the  classical  garb  and  be  coerced  within  the  laws 
of  regular  meter  and  Latinity.  The  process  was  begun  under  Leo  X, 
but  the  real  revision  took  place  under  Urban  VIII,  himself  a  poet  and 
author  of  the  breviary  hymns  for  the  feasts  of  St.  Martin  and  of  St. 
Elizabeth  of  Portugal.  Urban  commissioned  three  Jesuit  Fathers  to 
undertake  the  task  of  "correction"  and  bring  it  to  completion.  The 
revised  hymns  became  a  part  of  the  breviary  in  1632,  and  have  retained 
their  place  ever  since.  Many  of  these  compositions  were,  no  doubt, 
improved  in  literary  form ;  but  what  they  gained  in  point  of  style  they 
often  lost  in  simplicity,  in  vigor  and  nobility  of  thought.  It  must  be 
admitted  too  that,  whatever  may  be  one's  standard  of  Latinity,  it  was 
surely  a  risky  thing  to  attempt  to  mend  the  compositions  of  a  Si 
Ambrose,  a  Fortunatus  or  a  Prudentius.  In  view  of  these  facts,  and 
for  the  further  reason  that  modern  scholarship  justly  regards  the 
integrity  of  original  texts,  and  particularly  ancient  texts,  with  a  feeling 
of  respect  akin  to  reverence,  hymnologists  are  unanimous  in  condemn- 
ing this  revision. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  look  for  concrete  illustration  and 
wish  to  compare  some  of  the  present  breviary  versions  with  the  orig- 
inal text,  we  subjoin  several  examples  in  parallel  columns. 


AD   REGIAS  AGNI   DAPES 

ORIGINAL  TEXT  REVISED   VERSION 

Ad  cenam  Agni  providi  Ad  regias  Agni  dapes 

Et  stolis  albis  candidi  Stolis  amicti  candidis 

Post  transitum  maris  rubri  Post  transitum  maris  rubri 

Christo  canamus  principi ;  Christo  canamus  principi ; 


78 


LATIN    HYMNS 


5  Cujus  corpus  sanctssimum 
In  ara  crucis  torridum, 
Cruore  ejus  roseo 
Gustando  vivimus  Deo. 


5  Divina  cujus  caritas 

Sacrum  propinat  sanguinem 
Almique  membra  corporis 
Amor  sacerdos  immolat. 


Protect!  Paschae  vespero 
10  A  devastante  angelo, 
Erepti  de  durissimo 
Pharaonis  imperio. 

Jam  Pascha  nostrum  Chris- 

tus  est, 
Qui  immolatus  Agnus  est, 
15  Sinceritatis  azyma 
Caro  ejus  oblata  est. 

O  vere  digna  hostia, 
Per  quam  f  racta  sunt  tar- 

tara, 
Redempta  plebs  captivata 
20  Redit  ad  vitae  praemia. 

Cum  surgit  Christus  tumulo, 
Victor  redit  de  barathro, 
Tyrannum  trudens  vinculo 
Et  reserans  paradisum. 

25  Quaesumus  auctor  omnium 
In  hoc  paschali  gaudio, 
Ab  omni  mortis  impetu 
Tuum  def  ende  populum. 


Sparsum  cruorem  postibus 
10  Vastator  horret  angelus, 
Fugitque  divisum  mare, 
Merguntur  hostes  fluctibus. 

Jam  Pascha  nostrum  Chris- 
tus est, 
PaschaUs  idem  victima, 
15  Et  pura  puris  mentibus 
Sinceritatis  azyma. 

O  vera  caeli  victima, 
Subjecta  cui  sunt  tartara, 
Soluta  mortis  vincula, 
20  Recepta  vitae  praemia. 

Victor  subactis  inferis 
Tropaea  Christus  explicat, 
Caeloque  aperto  subditum 
Regem  tenebrarum  trahit. 

25  Ut  sis  perenne  mentibus 
Paschale,  Jesu,  gaudium, 
A  morte  dira  criminum 
Vitae  renatos  Hbera. 


The  Matin  Hymn  for  the  Paschal  Season,  now  entitled  Rex  Sempi- 
ierne  Caelihim,  was  subjected  to  about  as  many  changes  as  the  Ad 
Cenam  Agni  Providi.  No  one,  however,  will  deny  that  in  both  cases 
the  changes  were  made  with  consummate  art,  or  say  that  the  verses, 


LATIN    HYMNS 


79 


while  improved  in  form,  are  without  vigor  and  poetic  spirit.  The 
original  of  the  Rex  Setnpiterne  Caelitum  consists  of  sixty-four  lines 
and  is  of  uncertain  authorship,  dating  from  the  fifth  or  the  early  sixth 
century. 


ORIGINAL  TEXT 

Rex  aeterne,  Domine, 
Rerum  creator  omnium, 
Qui  eras  ante  saecula 
Semper  cum  Patre  Filius. 

5  Qui  mundi  in  primordio 
Adam  plasmasti  hominen, 
Cui  tuae  imaginis 

•    Vultum  dedisti  similem. 


REVISED  VERSION 

Rex  sempiterne  Caelitum, 
Rerum  creator  omnium, 
Aequalis  ante  saecula 
Semper  parenti  Filius. 

5  Nascente  qui  mundo  f  aber 
Imaginem  vultus  tui 
Tradens  Adamo,  nobilem 
Limo  jugasti  spiritum. 


Quem  diabolus  deceperat, 
10  Hostis  humani  generis ; 
Cujus  tu  formam  corporis 
Assumere  dignatus  es, 

Quem  editum  ex  Virgine 
Pavescit  omnis  anima, 
15  Per  quem  nos  resurgere 
Devota  mente  credimus  ; 

Qui  nobis  per  baptismum 
Donasti  indulgentiam. 
Qui  tenebamur  vinculis 
20  Ligati  conscientiae ; 

Qui  crucem  propter  hominem 
Suscipere  dignatus  es, 
Dedisti  tuum  sanguinem 
Nostrae  salutis  pretium. 


Cum  livor  et  fraus  daemonis 
10  Foedasset  humanun  genus : 
Tu  carne  amictus  perditam 
Formam  reformas  artifex. 

Qui  natus  olim  e  Virgine, 
Nunc  e  sepulchro  nasceris, 
15  Tecumque  nos  a  mortuis 
Jubes  sepultos  surgere. 

Qui  pastor  aeternus  gregem 
Aqua  lavas  baptismatis : 
Haec  est  lavacrum  mentium, 
20  Haec  est  sepulcrum  crimi- 
num. 


Nobis  diu  qui  debitae 
Redemptor  affixus  cruci, 
Nostrae  dedisti  prodigus 
Pretium  salutis  sanguinem. 


80  LATIN    HYMNS 

One  must  not  suppose  that  equally  radical  changes  were  intro- 
duced in  all  the  hymns.  Some  remained  untouched,  while  others  suf- 
fered only  a  few  verbal  changes.  Thus  the  famous  Lenten  hymn 
Ex  More  Docti  Mystico  practically  retained  its  old  form,  except  that  all 
the  verses  of  the  fifth  stanza  were  reversed,  thus : 

ORIGINAL  TEXT  REVISED  VERSION 

Dicamus  omnes  cernui  Flectamus  iram  vindicem, 

Clamemus  atque  singuli,  Ploremus  ante  judicem, 

Ploremus  ante  judicem,  Clamemus  ore  supplici, 

Flectamus  iram  vindicem.  Dicamus  omnes  cernui. 

But  the  hymn  for  the  dedication  of  a  church,  "a  rugged  but  fine 
old  hymn"  (Trench)  in  its  old  form,  comes  out  of  the  process  of 
revision  much  weakened  and  almost  unrecognizable.  The  hymn  is  prob- 
ably of  the  sixth  or  seventh  century  and  of  unknown  authorship.  It^is 
based  on  I  Peter  II,  5  seq. ;  Ephes.  II,  20;  Apoc.  XXI. 

ORIGINAL  TEXT  REVISED  VERSION 

Urbs  beata  Hierusalem,  dicta  Caelestis  urbs  Jerusalem, 

pacis  visio,  Beata  pacis  visio, 

Quae    construitur    in    caelis  Quae  celsa  de  viventibus 

vivis  ex  lapidibus,  Saxis  ad  astra  tolleris, 

Et  angelis  coornata  ut  spon-  5  Sponsaeque  ritu  cingeris 

sata  comite  !  Mille  angelorum  millibus. 

Nova  veniens   e   caelo,   nup-       O  sorte  nupta  prospera, 
tiali  thalamo  Dotata  Patris  gloria, 

5  Praeparata  ut  sponsata,  cop-       Respersa  sponsi  gratia, 
ulatur  Domino.  10  Regina  formosissima, 

Plateae  et  muri  ejus  ex  auro       Christo  jugata  Principi, 
purissimo ;  Caeli  corusca  civitas. 

Portae  nitent  margaritis,  ady.  Hie  margaritis  emicant, 

tis  patentibus  Patentque  cunctis  ostia : 

Et  virtute  meritorum  illuc  in- 15  Virtute  nanique  praevia 

troducitur  Mortalis  illuc  ducitur, 


LATIN    HYMNS 


81 


Omnis,  qui  pro  Christi  nom-       Amore  Christi  percitus 
ine  hie  in  mundo  premitur.       Tormenta  quisquis  sustinet. 

10  Tunsionibus,  pressuris  expo-       Scalpri  salubris  ictibus, 
liti  lapides  20  Et  tunsione  plurima, 

Suis     coaptantur     locis     per       Fabri  polita  malleo 

manum  artificis,  Hanc  saxa  molem  constru- 

Disponuntur  permansuri  sac-  unt, 

ris  aedificiis.  Aptisque  juncta  nexibus 

Locantur  in  fastigio. 


* 


Angularis  fundamentum  lapi325  Alto  ex  Olympi  vertice 


Christus  missus  est, 
Qui  compage  parietis  in  utro- 
que  nectitur, 
15  Quern   Sion   sancta   suscepit, 
in  quo  credens  permanet. 


Summi  Parentis  Filius, 
Ceu  monte  desectus  lapis 
Terras  in  imas  decidens, 
Domus  supernae  et  infimae, 
Utrumque  junxit  angulum. 


Observe  the  noble  vigor  and  solemn  march  of  these  lines,  and 
compare  them  with  the  swiftly  running  iambics  of  the  revision.  The 
contrast  is  striking  all  through,  but  is  overwhelming  in  the  last  strophe. 
The  sonorous  angularis  fundamentum  towers  mountain  high  over  its 
iambic  parallel,  particularly  if  the  latter  is  read,  as  it  should  be,  with 
elision.  It  need  hardly  be  said  that  the  pagan  terminology  of  the  line 
is  highly  offensive. 


82  LATIN    HYMNS 


INDEX 


Accentual  Verse,  5,  6. 

Adam  of  St.  Victor,  50. 

Ad  Cenam  Agni  Providi,  11. 

Adoro  Te  Devote,  69. 

Ad  Quern  Diu  Suspiravi,  75. 

Ad  Regias  Agni  Dapes,  24,  11. 

Aeterne  Rerum  Conditor,  9. 

Ambrose  St.,  9. 

Audit  Tyrannus  Anxius,  22. 

Ave  Maris  Stella,  ZZ. 

Bernard  of  Clairvaux,   St.,  39. 

Bernard  of   Cluny,  41. 

Breviary  Hymns,  Revision  of,  11. 

Caelestis  Urbs  Jerusalem,  80. 

Catherine  St.,  56. 

Chnstus  Redemptor  Gentium,  26. 

Classic  Meters  and  Christian  poetry,  6. 

Columba  St.,  26. 

Compline,  16,  21. 

Dies  Irae,  58. 

Ecce  Panis  Angelorum,  66. 

Ecquis  Binas  Columbinas,  74. 

Fortunatus,  28. 

Francis  Xavier  St.,  71. 

Heri  Mundus  Exsultavit,  54. 

Hermannus  Contractus,  38. 

Hora  Novissima,  41. 

Innocent  III.,  36. 

Irish  Hymnody,  26. 

Jacopone  da  Todi,  61. 

Jam  Lucis  Orto  Sidere,  15. 

Jerusalem  the  Golden,  45. 

Jesu  Dulcis  Memoria,  39. 

Language  of  Christian  Prose  and  Verse,  4. 

Lauda  Sion,  65. 

Lustra  Sex,  28,  30. 

Meters  of  the  Hymns,  5,  6,  7. 

Nicctas  St.,  14. 

None,  16,  20. 


1 


^ 


LATIN    HYMNS  83 


Nunc  Sancte  Nobis  Spiritus,  18. 

O  Deus  Ego  Amo  Te,  71. 

O  Esca  Viatorum,  72. 

Omni  Die  Die  Mariae,  47,  48. 

O  Salutaris  Hostia,  68. 

Pange  Lingua  (Fortunatus),  28. 

Pange  Lingua   (St.  Thomas),  63. 

Plaudite   Caeli,  73. 

Potestate  Non  Natura,  50. 

Prime,  16. 

Pnidentius,  22. 

Qui  Procedis  Ab  Utroque,  52. 

Rabanus  Maurus,  34. 

Rector  Potens  Verax  Deus,  19. 

Rerum  Deus  Tenax  Vigor,  20. 

Revision  of  Breviary  Hymns,  77. 

Rex  Aeterne  Domine,  79. 

Rex  Sempiterne  Caelitum,  79. 

Salve  Regina,  38. 

Salvete  Flores  Martyrum,  22,  23. 

Secundinus    St.,   26. 

Sext,   16,  19. 

Splendor  Paternae  Gloriae,  12. 

Stabat  Mater,  61. 

Tantum  Ergo  Sacramentum,  64. 

Te  Deum,   14. 

Te  Lucis  Ante  Terminum,  21. 

Thomas  Aquinas  St.,  63. 

Thomas  of  Celano,  58. 

Terce,  16,  18. 

Urban  VIII,  77. 

Urbs  Beata  Jerusalem,  80. 

Ut  Jucundas   Cervus  Undas,  47. 

Veni  Creator  Spiritus,  34. 

Veni  Sancte  Spiritus,  36. 

Verbum  Supernum,  68. 

Vexilla  Regis,  31. 

Vox  Sonora  Nostri  Chori,  56. 


Date  Due 


18 


-*^ 


